Summer Running and a Half Marathon Plan

It has been another good month of running and we finally got a little break from the heat! Instead of running at 6:00 am to beat the 100-degree days, I've been able to run early morning and enjoy 80 degrees. It's been nice.

In June, I ran 53 miles, which is the most I have ever run in a month. Even when I ran my 10-mile run back in January, that month was still just about 47 miles, I think. The month of July is going pretty well also.

And though I'm really happy with how I am doing, I can't help but hope to run a half marathon still. Maybe it's a stupid goal to continually return to when I'm doing fine as it is. Maybe I really should just focus on what works for me, but it seems like a big accomplishment that I had hoped to tackle before 30. And, well, I am turning 29 in 10 days.

The Crawlin' Crab half is coming up at the beginning of October. I have mentioned it to Chris and keep going back and forth. When he runs more than 10 miles, his knees start hurting. And I really don't want to injure myself again or fall out of running because I can't keep up with scheduling a two-hour run every other week.

I do think it will be different this time around for me, though. First, if I take it slow, maybe I won't get injured. I have been running consistently without any injuries for two months. And if I do start hurting, I'll have more time to heal up. I can wait closer to the race date to sign up if it doesn't work out. Since the race is in October, I won't have to worry about training in sub-20 degree weather--instead, just hot weather, which I have managed thus far. Last time, I was working from home full-time, started a new part-time job, we had a death in the family, and the kids kept getting sick. There were a lot of obstacles and scheduling conflicts to running. Now I am teaching less in the fall, and it would be over so quick.

I'm not saying that I am signing up tonight, but I'm going to try to train for it and see how it goes. Here's my plan:
7/5: 5 mi  - 3 mi - 3 mi - 3 mi (done)
7/12: 6 mi  - 3 mi - 3 mi - 2 mi (I've already done the six miles)
7/19: 4 mi  - 3 mi - 4 mi - 3 mi
7/26: 7 mi  - 2 mi - 3 mi - 3 mi
8/2: 4 mi  - 3 mi - 4 mi - 3 mi
8/9: 8 mi  - 2 mi - 3 mi - 3 mi
8/16: 4 mi  - 3 mi - 4 mi - 3 mi
8/23: 9 mi  - 2 mi - 3 mi - 3 mi
8/30: 4 mi  - 3 mi - 4 mi - 3 mi
9/6: 10 mi  - 2 mi - 3 mi - 3 mi
9/13: 4 mi  - 3 mi - 4 mi - 3 mi
9 /20: 12 mi  - 2 mi - 3 mi - 3 mi
9/27: 3 mi  - 2 mi
10/3: RACE DAY 13.1 mi

And then I will reward myself with the new Nike Air Zoom Structure 19s right when they come out.

Now that I look at it, it does seem a little aggressive. Meep. I will just be adding a mile every other week. Well, I can give it a shot and call it quits if I get hurt or don't have time or just don't want to do it. And if this is too fast, there is another half marathon closer to Thanksgiving.

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