The end of the year added two great running accomplishments under my belt, and sparked an even greater one yet to be had. After an abnormally prolonged summer into a lightly crisp fall (the perfect running temperature), my training for the 10k led to successful race in both finish line time, and more importantly, overall experience. I ran side by side with my running mentor who wouldn't let me stop or slow down my pace. I finished all 6.2 miles with a headlamp, in the dark, in exactly 60 minutes. Seconds after crossing the finish line, my thought immediately was "I need to do a half marathon". Winning is addicting.
Before my running career came to a pause in 2017, I managed to get one more "trot" under my belt (post turkey trot to be precise). A strange distance (4k) which seemed like an easy way to break a "really fast" record with no need to reserve energy. However the fall had rapidly and cruelly turned into winter that day with below freezing temperatures along the Long Island coast. My lungs were not operating at 100%, but I still managed to finish in under 20 minutes (with a PR first mile of 8:40).
What I have been up to since these adventures? Eating cookies, enjoying the holidays with family and friends, gaining some weight.
I am SO excited for 2018...the year of events!
- 5k in March
- 10k in April
- Spartan Sprint in May
- Half Marathon (13.1) in June
- Tough Mudder in July
What am I doing to train? Good question. I'm still figuring that out. For January and February (right now), I'm trying to hit CrossFit 3x a week to build strength (...and well build everything), and rotating those off days with short runs indoor on a treadmill (anywhere between 2-4 miles). The idea behind the running is to maintain a baseline so that when I start proper Half training, I'm not starting from zero.
Official Half marathon training will begin in March lasting 12-16 weeks (still figuring out my exact programming). Those weeks will be intense and disciplined, containing a mix of a few short runs, cross training, rest days, and one long run per week. I'm hoping to incorporate better nutrition (my weakness) into this part to help fuel and optimize my chance of success.
I could use some help with meal planning and ideas!
Also let me know if you're interested in participating in any of these events with me!
