Mile repeats, like a boss

I'm beginning to think that sticking to the training plan is a good thing.  I have been very diligent about trying to stay as close to the times, mileage, and my two side goals (hills and strength training).  After my not-so-wonderful 18-miler, I am pleased as punch that I killed my speed workout.  I was worried that because my 8:20/pace on my 18-miler felt so yuck, that I was going to struggle with pushing myself with mile repeats.

Instead, I kicked @ss.
 
Well, for me.  You know, it's all relative when it comes to your own personal speed.  My goal was to do my mile repeats around 7:30 and I hit them in 7:10, 7:02, and 6:46.  Woot!  The best part was that I felt good about doing it.  Normally I feel like I'm going to puke when I am on my last mile, but this was not the case.

Today, I had 2 miles (WTH?) on my training schedule.  I do have a 20 miler on Thursday so I stuck to the plan even though it felt absolutely silly to waste a perfectly clean running outfit on 2 stupid miles.  I chose the hilliest course I know--the one right outside my front door and throughout my neighborhood.  2 miles and 347 feet of elevation climb.  It might have been 2 miles, but I tried to make it the toughest 16ish minutes I could.  In years past, I always ran 3 miles when the schedule said 2, but I am trying really hard to train smart and save my gusto for race day. 

When I finished, I decided that since I was already wasting this running outfit, I might as well do a serious strength training session.  Hopefully it will help me run a few seconds faster on marathon day.  With my PR being 3:50 and change, I am gunning for a sub-3:50.  But, after my really fun half-marathon experience a few months ago, I am just going to try to judge it based on how I feel on race day.  Of course I want to PR (duh!!!!!), but I also learned that racing can be a lot of fun if you aren't so focused on that whole 'race' part.  Ha!

Adam, who signed up to the walk the 5K that coincides with my marathon, went to Fleet Feet yesterday to get new shoes.  I'm not sure how long or how well new gear will motivate him, but I remain optimistic that these are steps in the right direction. 

He saw a new neurologist yesterday after we switched insurance plans with new jobs.  The new doc said that because it had been a few years without any issues that he had the choice whether or not to keep taking injections.  He absolutely despises needles so it is a huge effort on his part to take a daily shot.  So far, he hasn't decided whether or not to stop--I think he is waiting for one opinion to sway him one way or the other.  So little is known on how MS progresses in each person that it's impossible to know if the drug really is doing any good.  I'm just hoping that I can help him continue the path to a healthy lifestyle which will hopefully be beneficial should he have a relapse.  Everything else is out our hands so we just have to be thankful that the hurdles have been minimal thus far.