At this time next month, I will have completed my third half marathon in 365 days. The Yuengling Shamrock Half conveniently falls a day before it did last year on the calendar, allowing me to say that. I feel like for the most part I'm on track to be ready for this race, no problem. I just can't putt around between now and March 21st. I'm hoping for a 10 mile run this week. And for the first time in my life, I'm hoping to do a run longer than 10 miles in preparation for the race.
It can't hurt right? I tend to have the mentality "I know I can force myself to run 3 more miles on race day" and do a few 10 mile training runs. Only problem is it does kind of start to suck after mile 11. So hopefully, I can run 11.5 or 12 miles before race day. We'll see. My motivation for doing so is I'm running this race with my friend Meghan, who is a half marathon virgin. We did the Army 10 Miler together and I want to be able to be goofy/silly/pumped up ME for those last two miles. Not be on the verge of tears. (It always gets kind of emotional for me those last two miles.) Actually that's putting it nicely. I'm not a crier. The thoughts that go through my head are:
A) A repeat of "This sucks. This sucks. This sucks." Note how well that works for a cadence. A "this" or a "sucks" for every step ;)
B) "Just run the whole thing and you never have to do another one of these again."
C)"You will never forgive yourself if you walk." or
D) WHERE is that mile marker?!
So, basically I'm Little Miss Sunshine at the end.
I may have to whip out these phrases with Meghan but hopefully I can do some Party in the USA singing and HI-5ing or something. I think mentally it's going to be huge for me to not have to worry about a hill like in the OBX half. The bridge on my blog title is from that race.
Although I've touched on a few of these. Here is a recap of my runs last week:
Friday, February 12: 6.5+1.5 miles
Saturday, February 13: 1 mile
Sunday, February 14: 4 miles
Wednesday, February 16: 8.5+ .5 miles
So a grand total of 22 miles. Not too bad for feeling like death starting Monday.
5 comments:
Wow, 22 miles while you are sick is pretty amazing. I'm not sure that i Could do that at all. Check that - I know that I could not do that.
Interesting, I would have thought that a 1/2 training plan would have you running over 10 miles. 11 or so would be what I would think that it would top out at. Either way, I think you're right.... that is the real test to not be saying this sucks over and over again :)
(BTW: Yeah, Rainy Running = Summer lovin'... Rainy Running.... Splashing arounnnnd.... Rainy running... Hope I don't fall dowwnnnnn) *sigh* I'm a dork.
@Adam...
Not in Hal's World. Ha. He only says one 10 mile run and a beginner is ready. (I've always done more than one 10 miler in prep because I didn't feel like that one was enough.) I guess there is a difference in making it to the finish line and feeling good at the end that he's not accounting for.
I love Hal's program. I used it for my first half and for my first full. Longest run: 20 miles. I can handle that.
I bet you can totally do over 10 miles for one of your training runs.
And 3 halfs in one year? You are awesome.
haha...I love the things that go through your mind the last few miles. I know I'll be saying the same things. The mile markers seem to appear quickly at the beginning and then towards the end I'm like "where is it?!" and that's me saying those things during 5ks! Yikes! I'm in for some trouble in April...haha. Way to go on your runs while you weren't feeling good! You are awesome! So you've never run more than 10 miles while training for the halfs huh? That's inspiring! My schedule calls for one 12 mile run. I'll be on vacation in Florida that week and am actually running a 5k that morning so I'm not sure I'll get that run in....
@Christy Thanks!
@NewbieRunner...Yeah it's the same concept with the mile markers starting to seem farther apart in a 5k, just on a grander scale. Actually, maybe I'm weird but the distance to Mile 1 never seems to fly for me; after Mile 1 the miles seem to pass by quickly at first then drag at the end. I guess it's just nerves at the start of the race.
And yeah, first time around I followed Hal's plan RELIGIOUSLY. He got me to the finish line w/out stopping "This sucks" and all ;)
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