Whooah, I'm Halfway There

That is the line that I would always sing to my mom when we were halfway through our runs when she trained for the 2 mile race at our pool. So it's the MOST appropriate title for my post saying that I have completed half of Hal's plan.

It's quite a feeling to look at the piece of paper I printed out and see all of the distances that I have been able to check off over the past 7 weeks.

Tonight I was feeling good enough to run 4 miles (That run felt great too!) I decided not to try to push it with a 7 mile run since I felt so bad last night. Weeks 1-6 are all complete!

I think having a plan is the way to go. It gives me something concrete to do in terms of training.

2 Confessions:
1. When the plan says (+ Strength)....I haven't been doing strength. Weights tend to make me more sore and tired. I think I need to start doing that though and core work... because it will become more critical as the distances continue to increase.

2. I have been running for the time listed on the cross training days. I just really like running right now. I probably SHOULD do something other than run. Like bike or swim. I really don't want to hurt myself. I think its because of all the stress at work, I've gotten back into a love I found as a senior in high school and I really just don't care to do any of the other forms of exercise I was forced to settle with when my knee was bothering me.

It's also daunting to realize I'm about to enter unchartered territory.
The first six weeks really just got me back into shape. Yes... the short runs were a bit longer than my short runs in the past, but the long distance never pushed me beyond what I knew I was capable of. I have run 6 miles before. This week I have to run 7. I believe I am capable of running 7 miles. The difference is that when I complete this distance it will be for the first time in my life. And the same with 8,9, 10, 11, 12, and 13.1.

Thank God VA Beach is flat.

Ooh.. 1 more confession.
I am training on a treadmill. I guess this is okay because I plan to add long outside runs to my training plan in that extra 6 weeks between my completion of Week 12 and the race. It will be warmer outside then. I find running outside to be a pain here because of the traffic. I HATE stopping when I run. At all. Even for a stop light. It makes it so much harder to start up again. And now its cold. I really enjoy running outside, but I'm used to my parents neighborhood. Or I think I should probably have someone with me. And I don't know my way around THAT well.

For now, I'm making the treadmill work. I've developed an obsession with iTunes in the process.