Utter frustration

I am training for the Rock N' Roll New Orleans Half Marathon in February. I'm using Jeff Galloway's app training plan.

Today's post was supposed to be about my 9-mile run. Well it unavoidably turned into a 5-mile run (I am guessing on this one).

Last night we charged the iphone to 100 percent. Welllll we left the phone on all night. Apparently in some nerd technical language involving something about ios 5 or something or other, the battery was used quite a bit overnight.

Source: att.com

I got up at 5:30 out of my warm bed. Mentally talked myself into doing this run. I decided that if I can finish this run, I have this race in the bag. I still have another 11-miler to conquer, but I thought confidence-wise, I do this today, I'm in like flynn the rest of the journey.

It was 30 degrees. Literally. Props to all you gals up north who run in the snow and ice. I honestly don't know how you do it. I've figured out through various trials and tribulations, I actually like running in the 30-degree weather more than 60, 70, 80 and above. I find it's not quite as much work. It also helps to clear my sinuses.

I had two water bottles and a Cliff Bar GU - some kind of runner's gel that is supposed to fuel you up in a run. I had those ready to go at the end of the driveway once I pass the first hour. (I was calculating this would take about 3 hours since I run 15-minute miles).

I started off great. For some reason, at the almost-one hour mark, I decided to look at the battery bar on the iphone. 40 percent left it said. WHAT??????????? Guys, my heart dropped. It felt like I was on a roller coaster ride taking that turn downhill. I knew I had at least two hours left and there was no way it was going to make it on that low of a battery.

Five minutes later the phone went dead. I estimated I ran about five miles, I could have kept going, which in hindsight I sort of wish I had. But I am still unsure of how long a distance a mile really is, I had already lost track of how many times I ran the neighborhood path and I was honestly afraid I'd overrun and injure myself.

I cried in that hot shower. I thought about what would I say to a friend who this happened to? I'd say look at the positives, you ran about five miles in 30 degree weather and you are still alive. I'd also say that's another five miles in the book.

But since this is me I thought aw man, I freaking OVERTRAINED this week in preparation for today. I did two nights of weight training because of rain and the Christmas holiday. I did A BRUTAL JILLIAN workout  and turned around the next morning and ran.

I got into bed, tried to warm up which took two hours. I weighed my options. For sure I need to get a Garmin GPS Watch. That is definite for 2013 now that I am pretty sure I will continue being a runner after the race. But that purchase will have to wait a while.

We decided that the phone has to be turned completely off after a recharge. It should last the three hours because they wouldn't make apps that long if not. Plus, last time the phone lasted two hours on a charge.

I considered dropping out. This is the first time I've considered it. I feel like it's an obstacle every day in this training. Whether it's sickness, rain, work, holidays, iphone problems....But then I thought about how many times I've started something and not finished.

I also thought about all the workouts I've put in training for this. Hours upon hours upon hours has been poured into this training. Quitting is just not an option.

So the plan for this week is to keep running, do some weights, only do a Jillian workout the night before a rest day (too hard on the knees). And climb that 9-mile hill next weekend. If I get the inkling, I may do it on New Year's Day. I just want to get this over with.

Do you think the iphone sucks? Don't you think something so advanced would have a longer charge? Do you ever just want to fling your iphone against the wall?