Running Blog

Okay - so I'm sure most of you aren't interested in this, but I've got to have a place to a) blog about my running and b) keep myself accountable! And since I don't have any other blogs, this will be the place! :)

I started my 10K training this week - 2 weeks earlier than the official start. While I have kept up my winter running very modestly (I don't have a treadmill or a gym membership - so it was YakTracks and taking on the snow and ice for me!)..... I knew that jumping into a 5 day a week training in 2 weeks might prove to be too much. Hence, I decided to start this week and next and build up. I trained 3 days this week, will train 4 next week, which will work me up to my 5 day official start to training. The race is in May, so I think I have 12 weeks (14 from now).

I am SO excited! BUT, it will be in the beginning that I also feel the temptation to think "it's too much" maybe I should just go for an easier 5K. I've been talking with a fellow runner and 1st time marathoner last year friend in my Sunday School class, and he has been VERY encouraging. He started running 5 years ago, and completed his first marathon last year. I'm not sure that I can do that, but I have to say - the goal is tempting! Could I *REALLY* do that in 5 years? If I train for 10K's for this year and next - then I'd be ready for a half-marathon the year after...... aii yiii yiii I'm getting ahead of myself.

Saturdays are my "long run" days. It's the day that I run the longest distance of the week. Today, that meant 3 miles. This week, I put in a mere 7 miles! ~Sigh..... at the end of last summer, I was putting in nearly 15 mile weeks. BUT, it was winter. I'm just proud of myself that I stuck with my running in the snow, and often when temps were below 20! My goal for winter was to just MAINTAIN my fitness so that I wouldn't have to start over in the spring.

So - here I am - STARTING my training, and I am once again reminded of how MENTAL running is. It was a BEAUTIFUL day today - near 50, and SUNNY. I was running on DRY pavement for the first time since last fall, AND I didn't require my Yak Tracks! A PERFECT day to run...... yet, once again, just into my first mile, I had the "Am I CRAZY?" thought. I had to force my mind to FOCUS, and to keep going. Sure enough, into mile 2, I was just FINE. Running is not physically hard for me - it's mentally hard. I think this is why I like it so much. It gives me the opportunity to work on self-discipline, and to accomplish something HARD. I never regret a run. EVER. Even the runs that I took in the frigid weather, while snow was driving in my face....... Every time I finish, I am glad. Every time I have a day where I feel "sluggish", I put on my running shoes, make myself go for a run, and instantly - I have a completly outlook on the day.

My long run days will stay at 3 miles for about 4 weeks - then they will start increasing gradually until I'm up to an 8 mile long run day. At that point, I will taper off to a 5 mile long run just before race day. I don't have any delusions about running a certain "time" - my goal is to just run well and FINISH. Reaching this goal will bring me to the goal I set for myself last summer for THIS summer: to be running 17-20 mile weeks! Working on this training will have me at that point by mid-May.

I will likely come on here once and awhile an blog about my progress.... I need the accountability to myself, and just being able to blog through the hard days will help. I'm thinking ahead to hill training and speed workouts..... I haven't done those since high school track! Phew!

Shauna