August

August has always been a busy time in our family.  There are many birthdays and with that family outings.  My oldest is now starting school in the fall, and that makes for more busyness.   Add to that running.  August and September are always prime running time for anyone training for a fall race.  This August I expect I will have my most mileage of any month, ever.
I feel like every weekend for the next 8 weeks is full,  just ask my wife.
This weekend I have a 20 miler and a 10 miler.
August 17th 27 miles and 13.1 on Sunday
August 24th I am running the BLS Half and 6.2 on Sunday
Aug 31st I am helping others train for a half marathon running 10 miles
The weekend of Sept 7th two 10k's
September 14th is the weekend of the 50 miler
Next weekend after that a 6 mile training run with others to help them achieve their goals.
Sept 28th is the Brewers Mini Marathon that I am pacing for.
October 6th is the Lakefront Marathon.
I feel like after the next two weeks I will get a break in the mileage as taper begins.  I love running and I love running A LOT but I do not think I will do a 50 again until the girls are older.  That or do a 50 with less miles in training, only train for a full marathon and try my hand at 50.
I need to get through the next couple weeks....keep charging towards 50.

Aches and Pains

     After a recovery week, a week that my mileage is down, I am starting to feel the aches and pains of training for 50.  No real injury or pain.  Just fatigue, and creaky bones.  I thought I would be cool and try out my zero drop shoes again.  Actually I wanted to save miles on my shoes for future use.  Silly me, now I got an achy right knee.  So no more zero drops till next spring.  My calves have millions of knots in them.  I need to continue to drink water.  And or get some massage therapy.  Not massage for relaxation, massage to heal my legs.  I wonder what my legs would feel like with a real foam roller.  I have been using a steal rolling pin, that is all I got.  I also need to add more yoga, or re dedicated to actually doing it.
     Today is the beginning of peak phase.  It is the time when my miles are the highest just before the taper or rest phase.  My 13.1 mile trail run was less than stellar.  I do it to myself every time.  I went out with out eating to prime my body to burn fat.   I also went with out food or carbs, once again to burn fat not carbs.  I went hard and ran all but one of the hills on the first 6.5 mile loop.  So of course I would be wiped out and tired.
   Here is to continuing the charge to 50.