Great Running Week!

Wow, it's been a week since we updated! So sorry, I (Lacey) have been bombarded with school and Lance has been in meetings, class, and healing a injury. This past Tuesday, we had a great 13.1 mile run around Auburn. We knew there was a huge chance of rain while we would be out running, but we decided to get tough and go for it. Well, we got soaked! But it was a great run. We both averaged a little over an 8 min/mile pace. I think it made us a little stronger :) Lance did this run in his new Vibram Five Finger "shoes". When we got home, Lance had severe pain in his foot. After talking with another runner, he diagnosed himself with a form of tendonitis. We hoped a few days rest would help ease the severe pain so he could go on the 20 miler we had scheduled for today. So, Lance took off Wednesday-Friday. I went for another run on Thursday. I got 11.2 in, but had DEAD legs. I was a little worried that the run today would be really tough!
So that brings us to today- Saturday. We have had this 20 miler on the training schedule since August, and I have been fearing it since then. Lance has ran a marathon and ultra so it probably seemed like a piece of cake to him. I never have good long training runs, and I have really been hoping today would be better. Our goal for the Atlanta marathon is 3:30. That is about an 8 min/mile average. That was our goal for today's run also. I tend to go out too fast, so Lance was continuously slowing me down the first 3-4 miles, but in the end it was completely worth it. I kept waiting to run out of energy, but it never happened. Lance and I had an amazing run! Every mile we hit 8 minutes perfectly! We used a new energy gel, called e-gel, and I am on the e-gel bandwagon now. They are incredible. We each took 2, one around mile 8 and the other around mile 15. We both stayed strong the entire run (oh yeah, and we got rained on again today! We are rain running pros now!), and finished our 20 miles in 2:40:00. Right on track for our 3:30:00 goal in Atlanta. Today's run is the best training run I have ever had. I still had plenty left at the end- I know we both could've stayed on pace for another 6.2 miles. I am more excited than ever for Atlanta, and can't wait to see how we perform on race day!! Only 3 1/2 weeks left.... and we are almost to the 4 month mark for the wedding countdown! WOW!!! Now, we are icing, stretching, wearing compression socks, and hanging out (with the Christmas tree lights on) watching football :) Could life get any better? Hope everyone has a great weekend! War Eagle!
Lacey