Wk#8 Marathon Training- Covering New Distances

From this week on until the Flying Pig Marathon once a week I will be running a new distance that I have NEVER ran before!

Here's how my week went:
Monday- 4mi/40:56
Wednesday- 6mi/59:48
Friday- 4mi/41:20  (Ugghh a dreadmill run)
Sunday- 14mi/2:25:52

As you can see I have been slow this week, however most of the runs this week have been GREAT! Monday was a holiday for me so I decided to go to the park, I wasn't sure if I was going to make two loops around the park or go from the park into town. After getting there I decided to just do a couple of loops around the park so I was near a bathroom just in case. The park is tough and very hilly and it was once again very windy, I struggled a little with the second loop and ended up walking a little.  Wednesday was an AWESOME run, although it was a bit lonely I really felt good the entire run. When I first started I wasn't feeling it then I gave myself the mental pep talk on how I needed to be doing this if I want to become a marathoner I mean how cool will it be to say "ya I DID THAT!!!" Then I started having a perfect run, again not the fastest but perfect.  Friday morning we had terrible high winds ( I think like 59mph) leftover from the storm the night before, I was in hopes it would go away by the end of the day but wasn't sure so I took both sets of running clothes inside and outside just in case. The wind did go away but I already told the hubs I would just go on to the gym with him and it was yucky cold and gloomy out so I hopped on the ole' dreaded 'mill. I've been slow all  week so I took this run the same slow and steady.
And then came Sunday, the day I would run a distance I have NEVER run before~OMG!
We knew there was a chance of rain Sunday afternoon so we decided to head out about 9am. At 8:50am on my way to meet Sheri and this is what it looked like from my windshield

 









GREAT I am going to have to run my first 14mi ever in my life in the RAIN!UGGHH! But we waited about 10 minutes and what do ya know it stopped raining:) HOORAY!! I decided this was a good time to break out the fuel belt and give it a try, if I didn't like it I could drop it off and pick it up on my way through, which I ended up doing with my jacket:) I actually enjoyed wearing the fuel belt, mine has 2 bottles I put water in one and some Orange GU Electrolyte Brew (the powder kind not the new tablets) in the other. I also knew that this was going to be the day I HAD to start taking and experimenting with taking more than on GU. I have been worried cause I usually end up with a belly ache and have to go right now, however as bad as I hate to admit it I have had to stop in the bushes more than once so I am kinda getting used to it and it doesn't bother me as horrible as it used to. I have and am learning as a "Runner"  when ya gotta go ya gotta go! So off we went I decided I was going to stop around 3 - 3.5 mi to take my first Pineapple Roctane GU which we ended up stopping at 3.5 and I thought that was perfect timing. Sheri also dropped us water at the 7mi mark so that was Pineapple Roctane GU #2. The first 7mi of this run was absolutely perfect, I felt great legs felt great weather was perfect. Our training place of choice is NOT an easy one there is several hills of ALL sizes I will try to take pics next week. Therefore I was happy at how good I felt, both of us felt just great. We stopped again at 10.5 to take GU#3 (yep pineapple roctane for me:) and so far my belly is okay also but I am starting to notice something in my left foot, I tried to ignore it and just move on. But I was getting slower and slower. When we reached mile 13 I had to stop and pick up my jacket to take back and my foot was really killing me. I truly felt like I wanted to quit but knew there was NO WAY I was going to I mean there is only one more mile left. Again I was slow but I was doing it.  Overall I am EXTREMELY HAPPY with us in the fact that we just completed our first EVER 14 miles in our lives!!! I am still having trouble except now it is my right foot/leg and my heals??? WHY? I will talk more about it in next weeks training post cause it doesn't seem to be going away soon:( I am so hoping I just need new shoes and am planning on getting some in the next couple of weeks.

How do you know if its an "Injury" or just an "ache & normal Pain" that comes with training? When do you decide its time to head somewhere to check it out ( regular doctor or who)??