Alright so I have a new issue popping up I’ve never dealt with before and could use some advice if you’ve got it. It’s not a big issue and it goes to show that every training cycle is different. Here’s the thing my left big toenail is starting to wear down. It’s as if someone is sanding it a little at night, every night. I usually wear toenail polish because that’s how I roll and I think I’ve had toenail polish wear at least a little in the past. But now my thick, heavy, red left toenail is getting very, very thin. Truthfully I don’t know whether it’s my work boots or the running. Maybe it’s a combination of both I’ve been averaging 18 000 steps a day for the last few weeks. My running sneakers are newish, at least one pair is but it’s just the latest version of what I’ve been using for years. My work boots are newish too but I’ve been wearing those for two months too, so mystery. Tis just a wee bit sensitive at the moment but some googling tells me that apparently I don’t need it? The one time I lost a toenail most of his replacement was present when his friend finally fell off. Do I protect it somehow, grieve his loss now or some third option, also a mystery. So I guess what I’m saying is now that knee updates have stopped expect toenail updates to start. For now I might try wrapping it in tape and trying to wear sneakers to work as much as possible because even if I don’t need it at this point I’m pretty attached to it!
Tuesday 6.5k: So today I got up early enough to run but instead I had to head out early to top up the mulch on a jobsite so my helper could work that day. Damn and thank god my supplier opens so early!!! So after work run. I’ve been feeling hard done by that there are no more 5k’s left but… these new default 4 miles runs pretty much take me to this cool trail area I discovered last year. So expect my running photo game to go up lately because that’s where they keep the good light around here! It was a good run and it didn’t seem dramatically longer as I made it out to be. I even did an extra bit finding a great vista.
Wednesday 10k: I was up early again today but not early enough for 10 even on a normal day. But Chris (my work truck) had a day of surgery booked, not life threatening but still essential. So I dropped him off early, I actually like chatting with my mechanic and my helper drove me around for the day. Since we did start early we stopped a bit early too. So that in combination with a later dinner meant running after work. Since it was 10k I got to do my favorite route around here which I always love though it does involve over half a km of walking over beach rocks. I was feeling a bit tiered and took a few short walk breaks but it was a good run however I do have a beef…
Alright I might be the A$$hole here but here goes… It’s 2021 there’s great cellular coverage on my route I don’t think it’s mostly okay to be stopping busy people anymore for directions. So I’ve decided that if you do it in a crappy way from now on I’m ignoring you. What is a crappy way well here goes and tell me if I’m out of line. I always run facing traffic on rural roads with a very minimal shoulder. Most places don’t have a place for a car to pull all the way off the road. Tonight this older non-gentalman decided to pull off, presumably to ask me a question without signaling right next to me and about 6 inches away from my foot. It should be noted that as I saw this happening I ran partway into the ditch. This seemed a lot like a 2000 lb hunk of metal coming right towards me. Fight of flight you know? His window was down, mouth wide open hollering something I couldn’t hear as I scampered back on the the shoulder. Truthfully I made a face, kicked it into second gear and maybe swore a little as I just ran up the hill past him. So AITA?
Here’s my thinking you have a phone use it. If you don’t have data that’s not my problem if you can’t use it, learn. And if you’re going to scare the life out of me and start barking questions at me I’m not participating. You could have pulled over well in front of me and waited for me to come to you, you could also start with ‘excuse me’ in a quiet tone or wave politely. If you start off with scaring me I’m not playing this game! So am I the dick here?
Friday 6.5k: I knew that it would be tough to get my run it today. I was busy at work after a rain day, had to pick up a purchase in the city and then dinner at my mom’s. I actually did get it done after all that. It was pretty dark by the time I got home but I was running at the moment the streetlights all turned on which always makes me feel super dedicated. Other than that I didn’t grab a picture because well it was dark.
Sunday 13k: On Saturday we spent the day in the boat and it was pretty hot. We almost always end up tied to someone else at the island where we got married and when the person we were tied up to left we decided to call it a day too. The temperature had dropped and I could have gone for a run but I wasn’t feeling it. I also got up early to go running on Sunday but didn’t go. Instead I dropped honey off at a job along my race day route and ended up in the heat of the day and away from the water and the breeze. But.. this allowed me to cover the last 5 km of my race day route and an extra km just in case. I also realized that at the halfway point there’s going to be one 5k uphill section and then downhill. But the shoulders up there are very nice and wide and there is paved bike lanes! I turned before the halfway point of my run and then ran through the subdivision honey was working in. Because I stopped at the little park there for a quick dip in the ocean. The people that were there left as I was coming in so I ditched the running skirt and went in skivvies so it could stay dry. PS this was the run I decided that I DO NOT like running thongs, I’ve tried them they are not for me! 10 out of 10 would have worn the skirt if people were around.
This run was a bit of a tough slog it was 27 c (80f) plus humidity and that’s about my top limit for running. So I did take quite a few short walk breaks, like 15 for 150 m or so. If you regularly run in weather warmer than this let me know your top tips. Especially for keeping going. I was a bit slower than I would like but given the heat I’m totally fine with that. PS my little dip meant no running picture for this run either so please enjoy a picture of me in a bathing suit that I actually like instead. Could be years before we get the next one!
This week didn’t feel all that tough even though fitting runs in kinda was. I think at 8 weeks in I’m at the point where running a lot is just sort of the new normal. I’ve also basically covered the whole course now except with a 3 km section with a few tight turns. In the next bit I’ll have to figure out if I’ll be hitting the trail at some point to avoid them but there’s still lots of time. You can check out the plan I’m using here. If you want a sneak peak of my training follow me on instagram! Are you training for a marathon this year? How is your training going so far? Leave it in the comments below!
Sweat Sweetly 
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