10 milers...

There has been so much going on lately that I have not been able to slow my brain down and get something worth reading typed out! So finally I have decided to just throw it out there, it’s funny how I think I don’t have anything solid to write about until I start writing…

Running: First things first right? How’s the running going? Good, great and border line awesome! Saturday before last I hit 10 miles and I did 10 miles again this Sunday! A lot of training plans for a first timer’s half marathon will tell you to get to ten miles and that you are ready for the half, so with that said I feel REALLY confidant that I’m ready! This last month will be for fine tuning and preparing. This is my plan; I will run my longs – while trying out my running gear – while trying out different type of re-fueling to see what works and what does not – while trying to improve my time.

·         GEAR- I have some thought on what I’m going to wear the day of, the thought that it will be VERY Cold is a GOOD possibility so here is my game plan- I bought some cold gear tights and I tried them out the on both 10 mile runs when it was 38 degrees – not bad didn’t get hot in them and I felt like it could have been colder and I still would have been just fine. First time I wore a short sleeve dri-fit top with a hoodie over it- not bad although I did get hot with the hoodie, I was able to ditch it at my friend’s house along my run. Although it was around the same temps on both runs one was sunny and the other was not, second run I kept the hoodie on the entire time!! So as many runners recommend I think I’m going to buy an inexpensive hoodie that I can ditch along the way and not have to worry about, maybe I will hit up some thrift stores and see what I can find. I didn’t mind the short sleeve top too much, if I felt cold I just speed up a bit and normally didn’t get bothered by it much.  I will try a long sleeve and see how that works out… I did find a cheap pair of gloves and I ran with them on my second 10 miler, I’m glad they are cheapies I think I’d need some I can dispose of if I need to. Lastly I think I’ll need ear warmers… it’s a good thing I have a month to work out the details, plus it’s gotten cold here so, perfect weather to try things out!

·         FUEL- When running there comes a time to refuel. This time varies for everyone but here’s the deal… can you run a half marathon without re-fueling? Yes but it’ll be a better run if you do re-fuel. But how and when? For each of its different, how fast you’re going and your digestive system has lot to do with it. So glad I have some time to sort this out a little better for myself :) But when should I start to refuel? All I can say is I’ve read and asked other runners and a rule of thumb is to start to re-fuel about 45 minutes in and then every 45 minutes after that. According to my pace I’ll be out there somewhere between 2.5-3 hours!! Yikes!

·         Time – So far, my time has been okay. I have not speed up drastically but I’m okay with that :-)  I am going to set my ultimate goal time to finish my Half Marathon in 2:45, I will ultimately be happy if it’s with a few minutes of my goal. My other goals for this race to give it my best and finish a Half Marathon!! LOL! I have taken a break from really speed training for some time, focusing more on my distance than anything else, I think that these final weeks I will try to work on speed and see how it goes!

 Lastly, I have some notes for what’s to come this New Year, by the time I run my Half Marathon I will have officially be running a year and a week! Wow… I’m looking forward to that anniversary!  I have some fun ideas on some pictures I’d like to take just to show what a difference a year will have made. Running in 2014 will consist of hopefully doing more runs for a cause, I have done runs for fun and runs for a cause and by far nothing feels as great as knowing that you are bringing awareness to something greater than yourself.

 These last few months I felt overwhelmed and I have felt pressed for time, training for this half during some of the busiest months of the year has been challenging. I could feel the pressure coming from my family for time, or so that’s how I felt.  The other night talking to my husband and my son while cooking a quick dinner, they asked me if I was ready for a full marathon, I was shocked! I told them I didn’t know if that would ever happen, and they both were shocked!  They both answered “You’ve come this far and you could totally do a full!!” So after much pondering here’s the deal, I will commit to doing a few more half’s this next year and if all is good I will start training for a full the following year. I think. LOL! I trained to do a 5k and then throughout this year improved my time and my endurance to do a better 5k each time, training for the half came up in such an off the cuff idea, that I don’t think I have had time to breath. To be honest my family has been understanding all year long, I’ve just taken on a lot this year! SO I will run, and I’m going to focus on improving my time and endurance for longer runs, hopefully doing better in my half marathons along the way…and we will see where the miles take me :)