Week 18-- Vacation, lots of walking, plus some amazing runs!

So we were in Phoenix, the Grand Canyon, and Gallup, New Mexico for a week on vacation. I got all my runs in, however two stood out, one was my long run last Sunday right outside our rental in the Deem Hills, which ended up curtailed by the fact that trails were and up and down were much different then running on flats to my legs. So the first run below was supposed to be 10 miles but ended up being 6.5 since the last mile and a half was on trails. Which I enjoyed immensely but can see the need for appropriate trail oriented shoes for trail running.

The next run was along the south rim of the Grand Canyon at dawn. There is not much else I can say about this run other then it was along the south rim of the Grand Canyon at dawn, and spectacular. My Garmin was being a little flaky and recording me running straight out into the canyon on air. This was an amazing run. From the running perspective I ran on paved trails, with lots of little sharp ups and downs, and I must confess I stopped more then once to take pictures and selfies. The run was also at 6,500 feet and I felt limited distress from that and the 25 degree weather, which I strongly suspect is not correct, more like 40, since I ran in shorts and a tech shirt, with limited discomfort.



I had two other runs of 6 and 4 miles that were unremarkable, the only one of interest was in Gallup at 6,600 feet of altitude.

My daughter and I did a hike up to the top of Mount Sunrise outside Scottsdale on Saturday morning, with a gain in 1,300 feet over 2 miles to the summit which clearly counts as hill training. Fantastic
views and great company.

So on Saturday morning I woke up and realized that the marathon is 7 days away and I finally started to feel some nerves, I have been antsy and edgy wanting to run, which from my reading is normal while you are tapering. Never thought I would see the day I would be dying to run!

I ate as well as I could while on vacation and maintained my weight as of this morning back in Round Lake. This week I am going to focus on hydration and eating as cleanly as I can so I am ready to roll next Saturday.