Race week!

And it's back! Race week has officially found its way into my life, and I'm not sure if I'm prepared enough for its arrival. 12 weeks I've trained for this half marathon. 12 weeks at the 'intermediate' level (apparently I'm graduated from novice) training. I think I'm prepared, I've done the majority of the running, minus that few weeks off because of injury. I've been running at a faster pace and actually have to slow myself down so I don't run out of energy. I have more gear, love my trusty little Garmin watch (probably rely on it WAY too much), and have learned more about hydration and gels and beans and nutrition. I think this time it's different because I have a goal. More than just a 'I want to finish the race and not keel over 20 yards away from the finish line". I want this 2:10 mark, I want to prove that I can do it, that I can run that 'fast'. Granted, it's not fast in the sense that women are finishing half marathons in just over an hour, but darn it its fast for me. My previous race time was 2:37, that's knocking a lot of time off from one race to the next.

Allison has the same goal, so it will be fun to have someone to pace with, as long as we're not a distraction to each other (it's been known to happen, we're pretty ridiculious together). Another distraction is the bands along the way, my legs like to dance when they hear fun music. Guess that's another thing to learn about and from. Whatever happens this weekend, I know I'll have put 12 weeks of training in, 12 weeks of running I wouldn't have normally done. I've been healthier, watching what I eat and exercising and been more aware of what I'm doing. That in itself is a success.

Well, race week here I come! Let the fun begin...

Journey

This training experience has been a journey. It's been different from last year because last year was my first. Everything was new and exciting and I didn't know what to expect. Besides being mildly lazy, I ran into no real problems throughout my training and managed to finish the race in a semi-decent first time time. This year I wanted to really focus on training and have a time I'm wanting to hit for the race. I bumped my training to intermediate and turned into a 'real' athletic runner. This of course comes with some hurdles. Injuries from perhaps overtraining. I think that's what did me in with my heel, the speed and tempo training.

Maybe I'll be more ready for that type of training for my next race. For now, as I get into the last week before the race, I want to focus on finishing. Not just finishing, I still want to hit my goal time. I'd like to run it 2:10, pacing myself to 9:59/mile. My friend Allison has the same goal, so hopefully we'll keep each other on pace and finish strong!

Nashville will come with distraction, of course. How can it not with 3 women coming together in Country town USA? But I think we'll be good, keep focused and do this race.

Run through the pain?

I hit a snafoo in my training last Tuesday when I was running. I was excited to do a 4.5 mile outside and ran from the gym to my house, I like to stop on the way to get gatorade. The cadets were walking back to the barracks when I was running and I really didn't want to run 'with' them so I had my housemate drop me off near the stadium. I started running down the hill when I got a sharp shooting pain in my ankle area! I stopped to stretch it out, but I couldn't run anymore and it hurt so bad to even walk! I hobbled to my car and drove home, to be promptly handed ice and Motrin.

Come to find out I injured my Achilles tendon so have been forced to sit out of any sort of training, couldn't even wear sneakers because of the swelling! Finally Wednesday I got on the elipticall, and today I ran about a mile and a half. Can't wait to get back out there, less than a month until the race! I can't believe it's sneaking up on me so fast, but excited at the same time!