Running Update 2

I haven’t done a running blog in a while and I’m fresh out of ideas so here it goes.

 I’ve stepped up my days from 2 per week to 3. My brother has started running with me too, which is nice because it’s a little easier to get through fatigue when another person pushes you. I’ve always had this rule about not stopping during a run. I’ll slow down to catch my breath but I don’t stop. It’s a throwback mentality to my Army days. With him we stop for brief stretches and then go again. Actually it helps quite a bit. It seems to give me more energy toward the end. I’m not resistant to it anymore.

 For at least 2 days per week we try to put in 6 miles once and 3 to 4 miles the rest of the time. The warmer temperatures mean going out after 10:00 a.m. means dealing with some serious heat (not quiet there) and sweat. You just can’t run as far or as fast when the heat gets above 80. Really above 70 degrees cuts into the overall distance because I get winded and struggle to catch my breath.

One thing that hasn’t changed is how much the first half mile really hurts. It’s a physical pain but plays out like a mental one. My legs beg me to quit, resisting every attempt to move quicker. It’s not an indication of how the rest of the run will play out either. Some days I never feel better and 3 miles grinds on like it’s 9. Other days I feel fresh and strong after an even long run. The first 5 minutes or so is basically awful every time.

It’s time to sign up for a proper half marathon. I’m confident I can get there by the fall and do the ever popular Route 66 Marathon. If something comes along before that I’ll consider it too. The problem is the money. Not that I can’t afford to put down $80 for a slot but do I really want to? Do I need to fork over money just to do something I could do on my own? But people who do these runs tell me they’re a lot of fun. It’s something to shoot for, the distance at least, so I’ll start looking.

I’ve looked at some training programs online that break down across 14 or 15 weeks. The idea is to be ready to run 13.1 miles in an exact time frame. For me the time is secondary to just finishing the thing. I’ll worry about time later. First I need to make sure I can go the distance. My own half assed program has already added twice the number of miles to my old distance. By adding an extra day and using at least one day for a longish run (7-9) I should be there by the end of summer.

I might look for a race before that and see if the times fit my schedule. Depending on how my progress goes I might shoot for 4 days a week instead of 3. 

For now 3 is enough. It's fun to eclipse old benchmarks.