How do you train for a mountain marathon when you live in Minnesota and don’t have a mountain near you?  Find the hilliest section that you can and run it over and over and over for 17 miles.  Blah.  That’s what I did for my long run today.  There is this stretch of road that’s 1.25 miles long and pretty hilly, with one bad ass hill right in the middle of it.  In my training for “normal” marathons, I’ve avoided this stretch of road at all costs.  Seriously.  It sucks.  But today I ran it over and over and over again.  Just as I was starting the climb up the bad ass hill (14% incline), another runner came up behind me and said “Hey.  You doing this hill first or last?”.  I felt like a bad ass when I said, “First, last and middle, I’m running this stretch of road for 17 miles!”  (I ran it 3 times and walked it twice)

So this week started off freezing cold (again!) but ended up gorgeous with sun and 35 yesterday and today.  Wheee!

Recap of Week 5 of Blue Ridge Marathon Training:

Miles run: 50.3; Miles walked: 4; Miles biked 12.6; core/strength 2 times

• M: 5 miles (9:50 on TM); biked 12.6 miles
• T: 9 miles (9:40 on TM)
• W: 5.1 miles (10:16 footing was SLIPPERY and my legs were SO tired)
• Th: walk 4 hilly miles on TM
• F: 7.1 miles (9:52 on TM)
• Sa: 7.1 miles (8:30 with 4 miles about 8:05ish)
• Su: 17 HILLY miles (9:04 with 1492 feet elevation)

Cut back week next week.  I need it.  My body is tired.