Training Has Officially Begun!

I’ve had a couple weeks to get used to running again so I’ve decided that this week will be the start of my half marathon training for the Brooklyn Half on 5/17. I’m using the Hal Higdon Novice 2 plan which I like because it builds in two rest days a week instead of just one like a lot of them do. I need more than one rest day. Maybe after lots of running someday I won’t but for now, I definitely do.

My other focus the last couple of weeks has been on losing weight. I’ve got around 30 lbs to lose and I know this will only help my running. Anytime I think about eating some type of crappy food, I think about continuing to have to carry 30 lbs worth of bags of flour on my back. I did that one time. Well, I don’t mean I carried 30 lbs worth of flour on my back but I did buy bags of flour each time I lost 5 lbs to get an idea of how much extra weight I’d been carrying around. It’s very motivating. Maybe I’ll do it again.

Yesterday I ran outside because I’m about ready to throw the next treadmill I see into a lake. It went well. It was the coldest weather I’ve ever run in (25 degrees) but there was some sun. There was also some snow which of course makes things a little more difficult but I think it works more parts of your legs than just running on regular pavement or on the treadmill. It must because I was freakin’ sore last night. I felt really accomplished though. Plus I found a new app for my phone that has great music mixes on it so that really helps.

So my race is 13 weeks from this coming Saturday. That leaves me one week to play around with if I need to repeat it because my training plan is twelve weeks. Even though this will be my third half, this one is different because there is a three hour time limit, which the others didn’t have. I completed my last half in 3:15 so I’ve got some work to do but I’m definitely up for the challenge!