Intro Post

I have decided to start this blog to document my training for my first half marathon, hopefully to be completed on February 14, 2010! By writing this down, I hope to avoid friend "burnout" b/c really my non-running friends don't want to hear about hydrating, my sore legs, running calendar, etc. My motivation for running this race has partially come because I just had a significant birthday (30, if you must know) and I really want to prove to myself that I can do it. Although I've been active since college (dabbling in everything from co-ed flag football to yoga), I've never really been known as an "athlete".

I am somewhat of a newbie runner, and my goal for this half marathon is just to finish! OK, not "just" to finish, but finishing in about 2 1/2 hours would be great :) I have been reading info on certain running website message boards tonight and I am shocked at those who finish in just over an hour or so! There are really so many elite runners out there and I think it can be an intimidating forum for those of us who would like to "slog" through at an 11-12 min/mile pace. It doesn't make me or any of us any "less" of a runner, though!

I have been running for a little over a year, and got started by following a "Couch to 5K" program with my first race since college being a Susan G Komen 5K in October 2008. I have worked out consistently since college, dabbling in running some "back in the day" but not necessarily with any purpose or plan. I did another 5K last Feb and the Komen again this October, with an approx pace of 10 min/mile on the latest race.

I don't intend to race the half that "quickly" though b/c while that 5K resulted in a PR, it was ROUGH and at this point, I am not in shape enough/do not have enough time in my training plan to be concerned with keeping speed. At this point I am running my regular runs at an 11 min/mi pace and the long runs at 12 min/mi. I am also training on a treadmill at this point which is controversial, I know, but it's cold and I am not going to run by myself in the dark (before or after work) b/c I don't have a death wish to go along with the half marathon goal. I'm currently doing my long runs on Friday nights to accomodate the busy holiday season but those will transition to Saturday mornings (and outside) at some point after the New Year.

This past week's training looked like this:
Sunday: standing running/walking plans with a friend...we usually do 4miles on a local trail (Supposed to be a "rest" day)
Monday: 2 miles (11 min/mi pace) plus 1/2 mile warm up/cool down
Tuesday: rest day (though I was running all over campus in heels so my calves felt it on Wed)
Wednesday: 3 miles (11 min/mi pace) plus 1/2 mile warm up/cool down
Thursday: rest day
Friday: 4.1 miles (12 min/mi pace) plus 1/2 mile warm up/cool down
Saturday: supposed to be rest or active recovery (I have plans to do Christmas shopping and get a pedicure! May take the dogs for a short walk, weather permitting)

So that's where we stand! Looking forward to keeping up with this, "for better or worse"