Training Begins

April 21 sounds like a good ways off, but not so much when it is the day of your next race and training begins. I'm into week 11 now of a 12 week half marathon training program - see? Eleven weeks doesn't sound like much now, does it? When I look at the program, I can see the weeks just fly by. Gets me excited, and nervous.

Last time, I used a training schedule a friend had given me. It required running only three days a week, gradually increasing mileage, and I feel it was just fine for my very first half marathon. I'm now using a schedule that another friend shared - he is part of a running group using the schedule, and looking to run the same half I am here in Indiana (he's in TN). This schedule runs four days a week up until three weeks before the race. I'm a little nervous about that. The schedule runs M/T/rest/TH/rest/S/rest - lately I've been running with a rest day between each run, so the M/T runs will be interesting. I don't know why that makes me nervous - I guess I worry about injury or burning out. I suppose a big part of doing it will be to just change my mindset. They don't have to be hard runs - I can take those two easy, and just enjoy them.

I am going faster these days, which is fun. In an earlier post, I mentioned how my former neighbor suggested I go at an uncomfortable, fast pace every quarter mile, then back to a comfortable pace. I did that several times on the treadmill since it was easy to see a quarter mile go by on the screen. I honestly think that helped pick up my pace. I ran 4.5 miles yesterday in 39:42. I don't think I can hold that pace for an entire half marathon, in fact, after the first mile of that run, I told myself to be sure NOT to start out the race that fast as I was already feeling a little fatigued. The fatigue wore off and I got into a groove and the faster pace felt pretty natural, but we're talking another (almost) 9 miles on race day. We'll see how the long runs go in training, but I'm not going to push it. I absolutely do not want to not be able to run the entire half because I tried to run fast and ran out of gas. This still needs to be fun.

So, off to put on the running clothes and head out. Yesterday was supposed to be 4 miles, my route took me 4.5, and today is another 4. Thursday will be 3 miles, then Saturday will be 6. I promise myself to take this run easy today.