Journal: Hayley Lyons '26.2 is becoming a reality'

Week 8

Intro:  This is going to be a tough and hectic workweek, so please excuse the posts if they seem super brief!

I have no major goals during the week because I think that the 14-mile run that I have planned for Saturday is big enough.  I have never run more than a half-marathon at one time, so I’m already feeling the anxiety.  My brother, Ryan, an ultra-marathoner and IronMan, put it in perspective for me: “It’s one extra mile, so think of it as 8 more minutes.  It’s just 8 minutes.”

Monday:  3 miles.

It’s getting so cold that the only thing I could think about today was a nice, warm cup of coffee after I ran.  No, scratch that.  A nice, HOT, HOT, HOT cup of coffee.

Tuesday:  6 miles.

Today’s 6-mile run was challenging because I didn’t get nearly enough sleep last night, but I completed it within my pace range, which is really all that matters at this point.  I have a feeling I will be saying this a lot this week, but there’s nothing like a hot coffee after a really cold run.  My hands are still numb!

Wednesday:   3 miles.

I went for a watch-free recovery run today and just let my mind wander.  It’s so important to stay on pace, but it’s nice to have one day a week where I can just clear my mind and not worry about meeting anything but mileage.

Thursday:  Off.

Friday:  6 miles.

In a rush today—told you this would be a hectic week!  Already freaking about the 14 miler tomorrow!

Saturday:  14 miles.

I can’t believe I did it.  I know to a lot of people that 14 miles is nothing, but this is the farthest I have run in my life…ever.  I took a wrong turn somewhere along the way.  I was at first very stressed out that I would get lost, until I reminded myself that I had 14 miles to find my way home, which is basically what I did.  My body didn’t start breaking down too much until the last half mile, but I think that was from the mental knowledge of knowing I’ve never done this before.  

I’m spending the rest of today in my recovery tights…eating.  You can find me on the couch! 

Sunday:  Off.

Total:  32 miles.

Conclusion:  This week has been a huge accomplishment for me, and, for the first time, I really feel like I can do this.  I’ve been registered for this marathon and training for a while now, but for the first time the 26.2 is becoming a reality.