Wall?

Is this what it feels like to hit a wall? I thought you just used that expression WHILE you were running right before you get your second wind. Yesterday I think it hit one and I wasn't even running! I think my body is finally exhausted after just upping the anti every week and not tapering at all. I'm almost done though. 18 this Saturday and 20 next and then I get a break for 2 weeks before the marathon. I was talking to my brother about it last night and I think I've had a total different experience with running the last few months since I've started back up after my knee issues. Peter isn't working from home anymore and he needs to leave for work at 8am which means I don't have quite as much flexibility in my run times and I feel more stress to push harder or run faster or just plain cut my run short to make it back home in time and also I HAVE to get up earlier to go running instead of choosing to. I used to LOVE waking up with the sunrise to go for a run and I couldn't keep myself in bed even if I wanted to. Now it's different because I don't have the choice to sleep in a bit so it makes the experience not as enjoyable. I used to run as a release and to relax and just enjoyed every minute of it, and while I still enjoy running and I love the high that I get from it and the feeling of being fit and in shape and more in control I am not in love with the schedule of it. Does that make sense? I don't regret anything and I'm still SUPER excited about the marathon but it's just taking a little more effort to get myself out of bed in the mornings to start my runs. Saturday my son has a football game at 9am which means I either get to start my run at 4:00 in the morning to get the full run in followed by an ice bath and a shower and get myself and the kids ready for his game, or I can start at 5:30 and end my run at his game all stinky and exhausted and do a delayed ice bath and shower. OR I could start my run after his game and run right through the hottest part of the day for the longest run I've done yet. Or I could go in the evening and start just as the first BYU football game of the season starts and get home just as it finishes! I'm leaning towards the 5:30 start time.

I'm really glad my knee is still holding up okay! I ran 16.75 miles last Saturday and wasn't sore at all afterwards (I think largely due to my fabulous ice bath ritual and good stretching right afterwards and that evening before bed). Hopefully the last few weeks keep being nice to me and I can finish my training strong with no injuries. Still a little bummed that I'm so slow right now but I hear that you run faster after the final taper. I'd love to run 9 minute miles for the marathon. But since I haven't done that in awhile, maybe 9:30's... We'll see!