What I Learned Training for a Half Marathon

In January, I set a goal that made me question my sanity but I trained hard for 5 months and I killed it!  Along the way I definitely learned some things about running, training plans, and myself, so I thought I'd share.

Go to a running store and get legit shoes.  I started out my training in random shoes and after a month of running only a few miles at a time, I had intense hip pain that I'd never felt before.  I was really scared that I was seriously injured, I was limping around at work!  Once I went out and dropped some money on new kicks (and took some time off) the pain went away completely.

Follow your training plan, but listen to your body.  When I created my training plan, I thought I was going to be running 4 times a week.  At first I couldn't fit 4 runs into my schedule but when I finally did, I ended up with super sore shins.  I decided that 3 times a week was my sweet spot as long as I didn't skip any of my long runs.  Towards the end of my training I twisted my knee and only ran twice a week, because I wanted to save myself for my weekend long runs.  In the end it all worked out!  I'm glad I listened to my body and was able to overcome my potential injuries!

Sweat wicking clothes actually make a difference.  Before training, I never understood why anybody needed special clothes to run in.  And then I tried to do a few runs in regular t-shirts and the ending result was a super wet heavy t-shirt that just felt gross.  Go to stores like Marshall's, TJ Maxx, Target, and Old Navy and you can get great deals on gear.

You won't feel winded, but your legs will ache.  I always thought long distance running would involve huffing and puffing and side stitches, but that wasn't the case.  After a few miles, you really do get in the groove and you feel like you could run forever.  Until your legs start to ache, like really badly.  Once I got close to double digits I experienced a lot of hip tightness and my knees really hurt.  I'm sure this is different for different people, but I was not a fan.

Find a running buddy or a group!  I was pretty nervous before my first group run.  Would they be too fast?  Would I hold them back?  Would I fit in?  All of my concerns quickly vanished after the first run and the group has been an amazing resource for me during my training.  My long runs would've been much more difficult without the support.  If you find a good buddy to chat with the miles just fly by!

Everyone will say "Wow, that's great... I can't even run a mile."  I know that I've always been an athlete, but I never thought I'd ever be able to run a half marathon!  I always want to tell people that they are capable of so much more than they think!

Thank you so much for all your amazing comments throughout my training!  All the support has meant so much to me and I couldn't have done it without you guys :D

ODDyssey Half Marathon Race Recap

I know I keep saying it, but it still seems surreal, I can't believe I ran a half marathon!

We got up at 5 am, left the hotel around 5:55, parked, walked over, and arrived just before 6:30.

We immediately got into the long porta potty lines and shortly after my family arrived!

Next thing I knew it was only a few minutes before the race was starting and we were lined up in our corral.

7 am... after walking for about 2 minutes up to the corral (as opposed to almost 40 at Broad Street), we were off!  It was pretty crowded at the beginning, but nothing like Broad Street, we weren't almost tripping over people.  We passed my family and Dave right in the beginning!  Tom was cheering SO loud.

The first few miles were a big loop around the start, which was nice because we got to see my fam multiple times.  It was super cloudy, which was amazing because you could feel the humidity right from the beginning.  I was feeling pretty good and these miles were fairly uneventful other than checking out all the funny costumes people were wearing, not to mention this guy who juggled the entire 13.1 miles!

Then we headed down a big hill around mile 4 and I got a mini side stitch.  I think it was from running too fast down the hill, but it subsided pretty quickly once we started our out and back.  I didn't enjoy the beginning of this part because the road was super slanted.  But soon we had some beautiful scenery with the river and the art museum approaching.  And then we started seeing the leaders come back which was inspiring and provided some eye candy, hello shirtless Mr. America hehe.

Next thing we knew we were at the Art Museum turning around.  Passing all the runners behind us was kind of fun, I felt fast and we were cheering on all the people towards the end that looked like they needed some inspiration!  Shayna had her ipod on her arm, so we decided some tunes would help pump us up.  Next thing I know we were headed into the next out and back for miles 8-12 and the sun started to come out but a lot of this part was shaded by trees, thank goodness!  Around mile 9 there was a band along the course, they weren't playing and we were kind of bummed, until we realized there was a girl passed out next to them.  Thankfully she had some medics with her, but it definitely gave me the chills to see her laying there.

My knees started to ache as we approached double digits, but I was still feeling pretty good and I knew we only had a few miles left.  Around mile 11 Don't Stop Me Now by Queen came on and it totally pumped us up, we were singing and loving it.  I hope the people around us liked Queen :)  I was really starting to anticipate the big hill at the end and then we started to hear the crowd cheering ahead of us...

I was like, oh somebody has some fans, those people are loud.  And then I saw my dad across the street in a tie dye shirt that he wasn't wearing at the beginning of the race.  I was like oh, hi Dad!  And then he points across the street and I realize... OMG those people cheering are MY friends!  I was blown away!

Over a dozen of my friends were screaming for us with matching tie dye shirts holding homemade signs!  I couldn't believe how awesome they were!

That gave me the perfect boost for the end of the race!  As we passed the mile 12 marker I kept thinking, omg only 1 left, I'm going to finish this thing!

And then around 12.5, the big hill came.  I knew there was a hill right at the end of this race from reading people's race recaps from last year and I knew what to expect since we ran down it in the beginning of the race... but then here it was.  My knees and hips were both in pain, but I didn't care... I was definitely ready to make that hill my bitch!  All that hill training in Valley Forge was worth it because I killed it.  So many people were walking up the hill and I felt like a champion passing everyone.  I refused to walk and soon enough, the hill was over and I could see the finish!

Passing Shayna's mom and her boyfriend gave me some energy and next thing I knew I was passing my huge fan club of friends and family all screaming my name and I sprinted to the finish!

 

 
I wanted to finish in 2:15, but I was feeling kind of disappointed when I looked up at the race clock and it said 2:16... but then I realized we didn't cross the start line until 2 minutes after the clock started!  I hit my goal and finished in 2:14:44 (chip time)!  Here are my splits!

 
Seriously, I ran the mile with the ridiculous hill at a 9:32 pace?!  Shayna finished shortly behind me with a smile on her face too!

 
Jenn came in strong a bit after us but apparently my team of photographers was a bit distracted, sorry Jenn!

After I finished, I got my metal and headed back to my fan club to give everyone sweaty hugs and get tons of congratulations!

I DID IT!  I felt amazing after finishing and having my family and all my friends there really just made it so special!  What an amazing experience!

I still can't believe it...

I am a half marathoner!  It was an amazing experience and I still can't believe how awesome I did.  My family was so great and I officially have the best friends ever.  I owe you guys a full race recap, but we've been at the beach all weekend and I'm super exhausted!  I'm sorry, I promise to update tomorrow night!

Hope you had a fabulous weekend!

Half Marathon Training: Weeks 20 & 21

Week 20:

- Monday - 10 min cardio dance on demand, 20 min yoga on demand, BTN arms & abs

- Tuesday - 10 min boot camp style exercises w/the cheerleaders

- Wednesday - 25 min dog walk, BTN arms, abs, & cardio mix

- Thursday - 3.24 mi run 31:36, 2 sprints, 20 min dog walk, 40 min walking with friends

- Friday - 10 min dog walk
- Saturday - 45 min backyard vball, 15 min dodgeball

- Sunday - 5.01 mi with some ladies from my group 51:17, 20 min dog walk, 20 min yoga on demand

- Total Mileage =  8.25 mi

 

Week 20 Goals:

- Arms & abs 2 times: A

- Yoga 2 times: A+

- Get 2 good runs in that I actually enjoy and make me confident: A+

Wow, look at all that fitness!  I started counting my calories and apparently those negative exercise calories are super motivating.  More about that in a future post.  Wednesday I did a nice loop around Valley Forge and the huge hill that used to crush me is actually getting easier!  My average pace was 9:46 min/mi, look at me I'm fast!  Relatively speaking :)  Then on Sunday I got together with some ladies from my running group for a run and some brunch and it was great.  I love running and chatting, the miles just fly by.  Oh, and yoga twice last week, who am I? I think I actually found a yoga video I like, win!

 

Week 21:

- Monday - BTN arms & abs

- Wednesday - 3.10 mi with Dave, 3 sprints, a few arms & abs (less than BTN lol)

- Total Mileage = 3.10 mi

Does running around packing and doing laundry count?  Say yes.  We're headed straight to the beach after the half so I'm packing for the race and for a beach weekend.  I hate packing, almost as much as I hate laundry!

Anyway, this is it!  I've been looking forward to this weekend since January!  The forecast is looking unfavorable with temps in the high 70s to low 80s during race time with 80% humidity.  I guess that's not too horrible, but every time I look up the forecast and it says the high for the day is 90, feels like 96... it makes me cringe.  I'm definitely glad we did the 12 in some heat!  Tomorrow I'm taking a half day at work and we're headed into the city for the race expo and some dinner, and then we're crashing at a hotel with Shayna and Jenn!  It will definitely be nice to already be down there since the race starts at 7 am.  My family and a bunch of my friends are all coming down to support me, I'm so pumped!  I know having a mini crowd of fans will be amazing and really help me to finish.

Speaking of which, thank you for all your support!  I never thought I was capable of doing this and all the positive energy and inspiring comments have been so wonderful.  Thank you for reading all my updates and following me on this journey :D

 

No internet at the beach house, so I'll catch you on the flip side... when I'm officially a half marathoner!

Half Marathon Training: Week 19

Week 19:

- Wednesday - 2.02 mi, 20:03 quick run with Dave

- Thursday - 1 min plank, 20 push-ups
- Saturday - better than nothing arms and 1 min plank

- Sunday - 12 miles of death, Garmin died, 15 minute dog walk

- Total Mileage =  14.04 mi

Week 19 Goals:
- Listen to my body to determine how much training vs. rest is best for my knee: A
- Planks 3 times: B
- Yoga 1 time: F
- Survive my 12 miler on Sunday: A-

Not much to say this week.  The 12 did not make me feel like a boss, but I know that the 13.1 will feel better when I get lots of rest, fuel properly, and have race day energy!  I only have 1.5 weeks left and honestly, I'm ready to get it over with!  I'm super excited to accomplish this goal, but honestly I hate double digits.  My knees say no thank you.

Week 20 Goals:

- Arms & abs 2 times

- Yoga 2 times

- Get 2 good runs in that I actually enjoy and make me confident

Next weekend... ahhhhh!

How do you get yourself back on track after a tough workout?

 

12 Miles, It Ain't Easy

Just finished my longest run yet!  12 miles in the books and it's my last long run before the half (next week is a taper).  After I killed Broad Street, I was feeling super confident about the half distance and this training run.  And then I went to a concert the night before (no drinking but still on my feet).  And then I got 6 hours of sleep.  And then I woke up with a displeased tummy.  And then I didn't eat my regular long run breakfast.  And then it was SO hot.  (Maybe not so hot for other people, but I do not enjoy running in the sun in what feels like 80 degrees!)

Oh and did I mention my Garmin died in the middle of the run?  Sweet moves.

I ran with Shayna and TJ and thank goodness for them because they really pushed me to get it done.  I was seriously feeling rough from the beginning but I do think part of that was the pace that was a little too fast for me.  I also started the run in a t-shirt, which started to feel super heavy and awful so I ran the second half in just my sports bra which was so much better.  I need to get more sweat wicking tanks.  Marshalls and Old Navy here I come!

At the end I really wanted to stop.  Those last 2 miles were brutal.  I definitely wouldn't have finished without my own little cheering squad.  They were so amazing, singing random songs and keeping the motivation the whole way through!  Thanks guys :)

A lot of the training plans for half marathons only take you up to 10 miles and then they just assume the adrenaline and all of the rest of your training will take you through the additional 3.1.  Personally, I'm so glad I did this run, it was by far the hardest run I have ever done but I feel that much more prepared for 2 weekends from now.  And as of right now, they are calling for 87 and sunny in Philly on May 26th, so I'm glad I felt the heat today!

Well, my knees feel like death, my hips ache... but I knew it wouldn't be easy and that just makes it all the more worth it.

Happy Mother's Day to all the mamas out there!

Half Marathon Training: Week 16

Week 16:

- Monday, 3.5 mi in 88 degrees through the park, 41:11, BTN arms & abs, 1 minute plank
- Wednesday, 4.52 mi, 42:39, some intervals with a buddy
- Sunday, 9 mi, 1:35:00 with Shayna!
- Total Mileage = 17.02

 Week 16 Goals:
- Run 3 times: A+
- Try a new bodyrock.tv workout: F
- Planks 4 times: Big time F!

I sucked at my goals for the week!  There are a ton of bodyrock.tv workouts that are only 10 or 20 minutes long.  And planks only take a minute.  One minute!  I definitely could've fit these workouts in, but I really just didn't get it done.

On the flip side, I had a great week of running.  Monday night was a flop due to the heat and a struggling running partner, but it was good to get some hot weather miles in.  I have no idea what the weather will be like for my half.  Wednesday was a great run!  Remember my favorite running buddy from my 6 miler a few weeks ago?  We got together for some quick miles on a new-to-me portion of the Schuylkill River Trail.  We ran the first half at a consistent pace and then the second half doing half mile intervals, including a speedy ending, 8:42 whaaat?

Shayna signed up for the half with me months ago but she spent the winter in Florida so we were excited to get out together.  The forecast was looking pretty grim, but like I said before, who knows what the day of the race will bring, so we decided we were going rain or shine.  We totally lucked out with the weather and we only got a little on and off rain that actually felt good.  Shayna shared her gummy fuel with me, which was my first experience with fueling during a run.  They tasted like candy and weren't too bad to snack on.  I'm not sure if I noticed a difference in my run, but I know I need to practice fueling for my race, so it was a good start.  We ran a great pace and I loved running with her, the miles just ticked by!
 

We were having a grand old time, until about 7.5 miles in... my knees started really aching, my hips were getting tight.  I'd say this was my hardest long run yet.  Last week's 8 miles were so slow that they seemed pretty easy.  But on Sunday, finishing the run out was a mental game.  It was intense, but I'm so glad I did it.  9 miles in the books!  I accidentally hit the lap button in the middle, so excuse my awkward splits.

Week 17 Goals:
- Planks, 3 times
- Arms & abs, 2 times
- Finish my 10 miler

Double digits this weekend!  I couldn't find a partner in crime, so Dave is going to join me on his bike.  I'm excited to have a buddy... and a gear carrier!  A week and a half till Broad Street, and one month till the half :D  I hope you're having a good week!

Do you like to do planks?  How do you convince yourself to fit in workouts?

Half Marathon Training: Week 15

Week 15:

- Tuesday, 6.01 mi with a group on the Perkiomen Trail, 58:56
- Wednesday, 10 min dog walk
- Thursday, 2.81 mi walk/run intervals, 26:07
- Friday, BTN arms
- Saturday, 8 mi with some ladies on the River Trail, 1:28:26, BTN arms & abs
- Total Mileage = 16.82 mi

Goals for week 15:
- Run 3 times: A+
- Leg workout: F
- Arms & abs 2 times: B+

This was a great running week!  Tuesday I went to the group run, there's usually two pacing groups and I started out with the fast group.  I knew I wouldn't be able to keep up with them the entire time, but I figured I'd go as far as I could and then drop down and go join the slower group.  I stuck with them for the first two miles, but the pace kept getting faster and faster and so finally just when I thought I was going to be running alone, one of the other guys dropped back with me.

This was a great run.  Even after slowing down, we kept a great pace!

Then Thursday I tried out something new, I did walk/run intervals.

The goal was to run fast (well faster than my usual pace) during the running portions and then recover while I was walking.  I didn't go very far, but it was pretty tough.  Even with walk breaks (and lots of them) my pace was faster than usual.

I want to run faster in general... which means I have to run faster.  I can't sustain a 9:18 pace for an entire run (yet) but I think intervals are a great way to push my pace!  And yay for burning some extra calories!

Saturday was 8 miles and it was pretty uneventful.  The pace was slower than I generally cared for, but it made the miles easy and enjoyable.

Anyway, my runs were great this week, but additional fitness was kind of a flop.  I fit in some BTN arm exercise and did some ab work one day, but I haven't really been feeling inspired.  I would like to tone up for bsuit season and I know I have to shake up my routine to get the results I'm looking for!

Week 16 Goals:
- Run 3 times
- Try a new bodyrock.tv workout
- Planks 4 times

Running 9 miles this weekend, 10 next weekend, and then the Broad Street Run!  6 weeks until my half... holy moly!  I still can't believe I'm really doing this!

Do you ever find yourself in a fitness rut?  What's your favorite way to mix up your workouts?

Half Marathon Training: Week 14

Week 14:

- Tuesday, 3.65 mi to cheer practice, 37:39, full body workout participating in cheer practice
- Wednesday, 20 min dog walk
- Thursday, 4.07 mi, 41:38
- Saturday, 3.82 mi around Cape May, 40 min
- Sunday, 35 minute walk on the beach
- Total Mileage = 11.54 mi

Since this week was pretty low key (aka no long run) on my training plan, I think it went well.  I ran the 4 mile run on Thursday with a girl from my running group and the miles flew by... aside for the epic 9% slope hill!  My butt was mega sore!  I meant to run farther on Saturday in Cape May, but I didn't really know where I was going and it was super windy.  Oh well, I really didn't feel like running and I still got out there so I think that's a win!

Goals for week 14:
- Run 3 times: A+
- Leg workout: A
- Arms & abs 2 times: C+

Tuesday I had cheerleading practice for the first time in a month.  We are currently in the off season, so we are only having once a week, optional practices for the girls to come work on their skills.  Well... we only had 3 girls show up and it takes 4 people to make a stunt group, so guess who was stunting with the girls!  The girl we were lifting is pretty tiny but she does not carry her weight very well and I was doing a position I'm not used to, so long story short, I got a workout!  The next day my arms, abs, back, and legs were all sore!

Goals for week 15:
- Run 3 times
- Leg workout
- Arms & abs 2 times

I liked last week's goals so much, I'm going to repeat them!  Gotta get those arm workouts in this week.  I'm also trying to reevaluate my eating.  I want to eat more whole foods and less crap.  I need to add more veggies and fruit into my life!  I know these aren't really specific quantified goals, but maybe I'll discuss that further in another post.  And I've decided to wait on the yoga/zumba Groupon as so many of you suggested, thanks for the comments!

Big 8 miler this weekend and I will have some company.  Yay for running buddies!

How do you quantify your healthy eating goals?  Do you try to get in a certain number of servings of fruits and vegetables per day?

Half Marathon Training: Week 13

Week 13:

- Monday, 40 min dog walk, 10 push-ups
- Tuesday, 4.56 mi group run, 47:20, better than nothing arms & abs
- Thursday, 3.51 mi around the park, 34:52, better than nothing arms & abs
- Friday, 15 min dog walk
- Sunday, 7 mi on the Schuylkill River Trail, 1:13:37
- Total Mileage = 15.07 mi

I killed it this week!  My quads were feeling it, but I didn't have any shin pain at all.  I was kind of dreading running 7 miles by myself, but it went extremely well!  And I've run over half of the 13.1 mile distance now.  Running 6 miles beyond that still seems pretty crazy, but I have time!  I also ran pretty fast this week, check out my splits.

I did have some 11 minute miles, but I also had some under 10.  My 3.5 mile run was pretty quick, but you can see from my 10:40 mile that I died on the giant hill.  But, please let me point out the last 2 miles in my 7!

Goals for week 13:
- Run 3 times: A+
- Arms & abs 2 times: B+
- Yoga 1 time: F

For some reason I just can't get myself to do yoga.  That will change whenever I activate my Groupon, but I've kind of been dragging my feet on that.  The deal is that I have to use all 20 classes within 3 months, so I want to make sure I can fit it in my schedule before I activate it.  I know there will never be a perfect time.  But at the same time I can wait until July to activate it, so I'm sort of thinking maybe the yoga and zumba classes would be a great motivator for me when my half training ends.  I don't know, I'm still contemplating what I should do.  What do you think?

Goals for week 14:
- Run 3 times
- Leg workout
- Arms & abs 2 times

This week is a semi relaxing week in my training plan since I was supposed to be running a 5K on Saturday.  Dave and I are headed down to Cape May for the weekend, so no 5K for us.  I don't have a long run planned for this week, but maybe I'll throw one in if I'm feeling it!

Do you think I should activate the Groupon or wait until my schedule is more open?  Do you know of any good yoga videos online?  Link 'em up!

Half Marathon Training: Week 12

Week 12:

- Tuesday, better than nothing arms & abs
- Thursday, 3.13 mi around my neighborhood, 33:10
- Sunday, 6.2 mi (10k) on the Schuylkill River Trail, 1:02, 15 min dog walk
- Total Mileage = 9.32 mi

Goals for week 13:
- Treat my shin splints & purchase a pair of compression sleeves or sock: A+
- Workout 5 times: C+

This week started out slow.  I was waiting out my shins for the first part of the week, which lead me to laziness and not getting in the five workouts that I was shooting for.  Oh well.  Life goes on.  I did do a great job taking care of my shins with lots of icing, rolling, and rest.  And my friend Shayna (Happy Birthday!) told me about a great deal on compression socks, so I ordered 2 pairs for $25 each (regularly $50)!  I thought the deal was over, but it looks like it's still going on, so go check it out now!  I got a pair of black and a pink pair!

Another fun internet purchase this week was a new wrist strap for my Garmin.  The original strap is so chunky and either it's too tight or too lose, both of which bother me while running.  And one of the the pins keeps trying to escape!  It's kind of annoying that the pin would be coming loose on such an expensive piece of equipment after minimal use, but I love the watch and the reviews for this strap all say they wish they bought it way before their original straps broke because it's just so much more comfy than the original.  So I think it will be worth it!  Review of the new strap, coming soon!

After waiting out my shins, I had some great runs this week!  I had been having a lot of tough runs lately, they felt so hard and I was dreading them, this week was just what I needed!  Thursday I was just excited to be out running without any pain.  On Sunday I ran my longest run yet!  I was kind of getting nervous for my 6 miler since I struggled pretty hard during my 5 mile run the week before, so I went to my running group and begged someone to join me.  I ended up with the best running buddy!  She offered to carry an extra water bottle for me on her belt (how could I say no?!), she paced me, gave me advice, and cheered me on.  And she ran ODDyssey last year so she told me about her experience.  I ran significantly faster than I would've by myself and felt great!  We ran the Schuylkill River Trail, which was flat, scenic, and new to me.  And it was supposed to rain, but never did.  So overall I really couldn't have had a better Sunday run :)

Goals for week 13:
- Run 3 times
- Arms & abs 2 times
- Yoga 1 time

2 months till my half mary!  So crazy!

Do you wear compression socks?  Do you wear them while running or just for recovery?  Do you like running alone or with a buddy?

Half Marathon Training: Week 11

Week 11:

- Monday, better than nothing arms & abs workout

- Tuesday, 3.70 mi in a close by development, 40:01
- Wednesday, 5.01 mi in the park, 57:26
- Friday, 2.04 mi with Dave, 21 mins
- Sunday, 3.03 mi in the park, 33:15, 15 minute dog walk
- Total Mileage = 13.75 mi

Goals for week 11:
- Run 4 times: A+
- Arms & abs twice: D

Well I got my 4 runs in this week.  I really didn't want to run Friday or Sunday but Dave helped me out with some motivation!  I was really excited about getting 4 runs in 2 weeks in a row... but now I have super sore shins.  Womp womp!  I think it could be adding too many miles too quickly, running too many hills, or possibly the result of some drunk jogging (to the train on Saturday) in crappy shoes.  Maybe it's a combo of everything, I don't know.  Right now I'm just praying that the soreness will go away soon and I won't be plagued with shin splints!

My plan of action, some good old RICE!
- I will decide how must rest I need by listening to my body.  I'm trying to decide if running 4 days a week is actually in my best interest in general.  Maybe I just need to trade a day for some cross training.
- I haven't done any icing yet, but some people swear by it, so I'm in.
- I just put on a pair of my tallest (fairly tight) socks.  I intend on buying a real pair of compression sleeves or socks in the near future!
- Elevation, lay around with my feet up?  You don't have to twist my arm!
- I've also been doing and will continue to do lots of stretching and foam rolling.

(source)

I'm pretty frustrated, but I am learning what works and what doesn't and hopefully this doesn't set me back too long.  We'll see!

Other thoughts from the week:
- I need to really start considering what I'm eating before I run.  Burping up Chipotle while running 3 miles is not a good time!
- With the weather being so ridiculous warm for March, I think I need to start carrying water with me.  I'm finding myself wishing I had some, when I didn't really think about it before.

Goals for week 12:
- Treat my shin splints & purchase a pair of compression sleeves or socks
-  Workout 5 times this week (running or not), I don't really want to make running goals when I know it may be better to rest... we'll see.

Have you ever had shin splints?  How did you deal?

Half Marathon Training: Week 10

Week 10:

- Monday, 2.25 hours of volleyball at Dave's church, 20 mins online yoga videos

- Tuesday, 2.37 mi in the park, 25 mins
- Wednesday, 4.75 mi in the park, 47:33
- Thursday, better than nothing arm weights
- Friday, 2.04 mi run/walk/wait for Puddin' to sniff things, 40 minutes
- Saturday, better than nothing arms & abs in the living room
- Sunday, Shock Run 5K 3.09 (according to my Garmin), 29:09 (PR!!!), 20 minute dog walk
- Total Mileage = 12.25 mi

Look, look, look!  I worked out every day this week!  I ran 4(ish) times!  I even did some yoga!

Goals for week 10:
- Run 4 times: B+
- Read the owners manual for my Garmin: F (oops forgot)
- Lift my arms twice: A
- Determine when I will activate my Groupon: D

It was either walk the dog or run on Friday and I decided I couldn't leave the pooch home but I needed to get this 4th run in!  Puddin' likes to stop and sniff everything while she's on a walk and I can't really take the thing she loves most away from her on her one walk of the day.  So the run/walk was a mix of walking, painfully slow jogging (Puddin's favorite pace), me doing squats and lunges and stretching while waiting for her, and some regular paced running when Puddin' seemed to figure out what pace I actually wanted to go at.  It was definitely a better than nothing run, but yay for running 4 times!

I wanted to start my Groupon this week but I had to make a last minute appointment and we're going away this weekend so it's just not going to work.  I don't want to keep pushing this off, but at the same time I have to use all 20 classes in a 3 month span, so I want to make sure I can get my money's worth and not set myself up for failure.

I did 2 different yoga videos online on Monday.  The first one was only a 5 minute quicky off of youtube and the other was from this website that my sister told me about, DoYogaWithMe.com.  I picked out a 45 minute video, but only did the first 15 minutes.  That's the beauty of online videos!  I really need to go out and get a yoga mat, the kitchen floor just isn't working out for me.

Goals for week 11:
- Run 4 times, which is me challenging myself because my training plan had this as a nice little relaxing week with 3 runs and the holiday this weekend.  But I'm still trying to get back up to where I should be in my plan, so I don't want to slack this week.  Gotta get that!
- Workout my arms & abs twice

And can we just talk about how amazing the weather is going to be in PA this week?!  I have a meeting in the field tomorrow (aka underneath the always scenic I-95), I'm really looking forward to enjoying the fresh air and the 70s!  How's the weather near you?  I hope you get a chance to get out and enjoy that extra hour of daylight!

Do you own a yoga mat?  Any preferences or recommendations?

Half Marathon Training: Week 9

Week 9:

- Monday, 2.01 mi in Valley Forge National Park, 19:16, 30 push-ups
- Wednesday, 15 minute dog walk
- Thursday, 2.00 mi treadmill run, 18:51, arm weights
- Friday, 25 minute dog walk

- Sunday, 15 minute dog walk, 3.27 mi in Valley Forge National Park, 33:03, arm weights
- Total Mileage = 7.27 mi

I'm back!  I ran all week with no pain!  This week was definitely hard.  The runs weren't very enjoyable and I definitely had to push myself to get through them.  Monday I ran after work, I'm loving that the sun doesn't set until 6 and daylight savings is next weekend, yeah buddy!  I love that extra sunlight after work.  Thursday I ran on the treadmill for the first time since mid January and it was awful!  I was SO bored the entire time, like literally 2 minutes into the run I was thinking this is horrible, is it over yet?  I was going to run Saturday but we ran errands and I really just didn't feel like it, so I knew that I needed get out there today.  The run was kind of rough, I was feeling pretty good in the beginning and then the giant hill right at the start of mile 2 rocked my world, and not in a good way.  The rest of the run was a bit of a struggle but it's in the books now!

Goals for the week:
- Run 3 times: A
- Keep foam rolling: B+
- Lift my arms twice: B+
- Do a yoga workout: F

I ran 3 times, yay!  I did some foam rolling this week, but I think I could've done more.  I did lift my arms twice, but both sessions were sorta better than nothing workouts.  And I really wouldn't have gotten in two arm workouts if I hadn't looked at my goals of the week today and said, oh crap I never did that.  I guess that's why I'm making weekly goals, maybe I should actually look at them throughout the week!

I totally failed at doing yoga this week, but soon this won't be the case!  This week I bought a Groupon for a combo of 20 hot yoga and zumba classes at CoreFit Training Studio.  It only cost me 30 bucks and I've been wanting to try hot yoga and zumba for a while now.  I've been avoiding both because of the costs, but the price was right!  It's a little bit of a drive to get there but hopefully the money I've already spent will be enough motivation to get there.  I will have to utilize the Groupon within 3 months of activating it, I think I'm going to wait a week or two and then do it so I can figure out how it will work into my schedule!

Goals for week 10:
- Run 4 times (yes 4!)
- Read the owners manual for my Garmin (it wasn't working right at the beginning of my run today and I had no idea how to fix it!)
- Lift my arms twice
- Determine when I will activate my Groupon

12 weeks till my half!  I'm freaking out a little bit.  I really want to start getting in that fourth run that is in my training plan, even if it's just a quick get it done 2 miler.  Also, I was supposed to do a 4 mile race this weekend, but I wasn't feeling it so Dave and I are doing a St. Patty's themed 5K this weekend instead!  I'm already pumped!

Have you tried zumba yet?  Are you a fan of Groupon?

Half Marathon Training: Week 8

Week 8:

- Tuesday, 1.81 mi around my neighborhood, 21 mins
- Thursday, 2.02 mi around my neighboorhood, 22:08, boot camp with my cheerleaders, 20 mins

- Sunday, 15 minute dog walk, better than nothing arm weights
- Total Mileage = 3.81 mi

I ran with no pain!  I'm so pumped.  I only ran twice this week, but I think it was good to ease in.  I'm really looking forward to more runs with my new toy.  I figured out I can sync it with my account at DailyMile so I'm pretty excited about that, but I feel like I still have a lot to learn about it.  For some reason I hate reading owner's manuals, but I guess I'll have to suck it up!

Thursday was great because I got my run in before cheer and then did a little boot camp sesh with my cheerleaders at the end of practice.  We did push-ups, tricep dips, wall squats, jumping switch lunges, lemon squeezers (I don't know the real name but it's an ab exercise, balanced on your butt, in with knees bent, and then out into a V), scissor kicks, high knees, high kicks, and planks where you jump your legs in and out.  I don't know about the girls, but I was sore the next day!

Goals for the week:
- Workout 3 times: B+
- Lots of foam rolling: B+
- Do a yoga workout: C-

I did work out three times, but my Sunday workout was pretty lame.  I did some foam rolling, I could've done more, but I'm not in pain so I guess I did an ok amount.  I failed to do a real yoga workout, but I did a lot of stretching throughout the week and did think more about my breathing while I was stretching.  Goals for this week: run 3 times (woot!), keep foam rolling, lift my arms twice, and do a real yoga workout.  Get it!!!

What's your favorite boot camp style exercise?

Half Marathon Training: Week 7

Week 7:

- Wednesday, better than nothing workout (random body weight exercises in Dave's kitchen)
- Thursday, better than nothing workout (random body weight exercises at cheer practice), 2 yoga videos

- Sunday, 20 minute dog walk
- Total Mileage = 0 mi

This week was a big fail.  I actively took this week off from running to rest my hip, but that shouldn't have given me a free pass to be lazy all week.  If I can find time to run 3 times a week, I should still be able to find the time to workout without running!

Something that really surprised me over the past two weeks was how much I missed running!  I can't believe I'm saying it, but it's true.  We had some gorgeous weather and I just wanted to get out and go run.  I guess I could've gone for some walks instead, but it just wasn't the same.  Maybe I need to work on my all or nothing mentality, although I don't seem to have that issue with working out in general... I love those better than nothing workouts.  Thursday I did some jumping switch lunges and a bunch of cheer jumps and my hamstrings and shoulders were burning for a few days!

Goals for the week:
- Workout 3 times: C
- Buy a foam roller, learn more about it, and roll: B+
- Do some type of yoga: A
- Stretch 4 times: B-

Well, it's behind me now.  This week I'm looking forward to testing out the waters with a nice easy run.  If I don't have any pain then I'll be getting back into my training plan.  I definitely won't be following the week 8 schedule of my training plan, I need to ease myself back in.  My goals for week 8 are to workout 3 times (hopefully there will be some running, but either way I need to get moving), do another yoga workout, and do lots of foam rolling.

Oh and guess what I did this week, I signed up for the Broad Street Run!  It's a huge 10 mile run in Philadelphia, 3 weeks before my half.  Please, please, please let my hip pain be behind me, or at least something I can manage with rolling, yoga, and ice!  We will see... crossing my fingers!

How do you motivate yourself after a bad week?

Half Marathon Training: Week 6

Week 6:

- Monday, 7 mi on the bike in 40 min, 30 push-ups, 100 mountain climbers, lots of stretching
- Tuesday, 2 mi around my neighborhood, 23 min

- Saturday, 30 minute dog walk, 10 minute treadmill walk, mixed interval workouts
- Total Mileage = 2 mi

What a bummer!  As I mentioned, I am currently taking some time to let my hip rest and hopefully avoid a serious injury.  I will be so disappointed if this hip thing stops me from running the half, but I'm hoping it won't come to that and I'm going to think positive!  It's still so far away so I can't worry yet.

Yesterday Dave and I had a full to-do list, so we decided to fit in a better than nothing workout.  I did a bunch of different things, alternating between two moves for some interval sets.

Alternating Interval Workout

Push-ups 3 sets of 10
Mountain climbers 3 sets of 30

Assisted dips 3 sets of 10
Calf raises 3 sets of 30

Alternating sides bicep curls 3 sets of 20 (10 on each side)
High knees 3 sets of 30

Straight arm raises alternating between in front and out to the sides 3 sets of 20 (10 each way)
Planks 3 sets of 30 seconds

My calves are so sore today!  And guess what I found at Dave's gym... a foam roller!  I did some rolling on my hips, legs, and lower back and it was awesome.  The roller was a lot harder than I expected it to be, which makes sense, because if it was soft I guess it wouldn't be very effective!

My goals for this week are to not be a lazy bum and still workout at least three times this week.  I also want to buy a foam roller, learn more about rolling, and put that baby into action on my body.  My last goal is to stretch at least four times and do some type of yoga.

Do you like interval workouts?  What are your favorite things to do in intervals?

Half Marathon Training: Week 5

5 down, 16 to go!

Week 5:

- Tuesday, 2.91 mi around my neighborhood, 30 min

- Wednesday, 5 mi on the Perkiomen Trail, 50 min

- Thursday, 20 minute dog walk before work

- Friday, 20 minute dog walk

- Sunday, 15 minute dog walk
- Total Mileage = 7.91 mi

This week started off great!  I ran outside on Tuesday night after meeting up with the girls.  I kept the run nice and slow and I felt fantastic.  I have no problem with running like a turtle if it means I'm going to be smiling during it!  And my new shoes felt great.

Wednesday night I met up with my running group for another trail run.  The pace was a bit quicker than last time and I ended up running through a side stitch, but running with the group really challenged me to keep going.  50 degree weather helps too.  Can you believe how warm it's been?  And did I mention I ran 5 miles for the first time?!  I'm really impressing myself every week.

Thursday Dave and I got up before work to walk the dog.  It was only a walk, but it was an accomplishment getting out before work.  And then things started going downhill.  It all started with that funny feeling in my throat and next thing I knew I had a full blown cold.  I felt terrible on Friday and left work early.  I'm upset that I'm not getting my third run in this week, but I know recovery is important, and it's kind of hard to run when you can't breath out of your nose... just a little bit!  At least the doggie got walked.  I also didn't use my gym membership at all this week, I've definitely been slacking on that.  Womp.

On a side note, GO GIANTS!  I love Super Bowl Sunday and I love it even more when my team is playing!  It's always a bit rough being a Giants fan in Eagles country, but who likes Tom Brady anyway?  Let's go Gmen!

Do you workout when your sick?  Or do you take it easy and just try to recover?

Read more about my training here!

Half Marathon Training: Week 4

Week 4:
- Tuesday, 2 mi treadmill run, 21:05
- Wednesday, 4 mi run on the Perkiomen Trail with a new running group, 42:00
- Saturday, 3.85 mi loop run with Dave through Valley Forge National Park, 40:00
- Sunday, 18 mins on the elliptical and various weight training (arms, legs, abs)
- Total Mileage = 9.85 mi

2 runs outside in January?!  3.85 and 4 mile runs?!  Aw yeah buddy.  This week was mixed with awesomeness and some disappointment.

Disappointment:
- Tuesday I thought, oh I ran 3.5 miles last week, 2 will be a breeze, I'm going to try and do it a bit faster.  I felt like crap!  I even had to walk part of the second mile.  I think it was a combination of things like starting out too fast, lack of fueling (I had pizza for lunch and nothing for hours before running), and dehydration.  I was having so many good runs that I thought I'd never hate running again and then this run totally owned me!
- I finished my run Tuesday night with some pain in my hip.  I figured my hip flexor was a little sore, no biggie.  But when I ran on Wednesday, it really started to hurt.  I wanted to run 4 times this week, but when walking hurt my hip on Thursday I decided to skip running Friday to rest.  I think it was a good decision, but I was still disappointed.

Awesomeness:
- I met up with some ladies from the running group I found on the internet, Ladies Who Run, for a trail run Wednesday night.  Before the run I was SO nervous.  I hadn't run with a group since I quit lacrosse in 9th grade!  I was worried they were going to be too fast for me (even though they posted the pace on the event invite), that I wasn't going to click with a group of people that were already friends, that I was going to hold them back, and that I might pee myself during the run since my nervous bladder was betraying me beforehand and I was stuck in traffic so I didn't get to stop at the Wendy's next to the meeting location.  When I got there my nerves were first calmed by the bathroom in the meeting place!  Thank goodness.  Then once we started, all of my worries vanished.  The pace was perfect, the women were great and gave me tons of running tips, and the miles ticked by with ease.  I loved running with this group and I will definitely go back!  This will be such a great resource, especially when my runs get longer and longer.  Who wants to run 10 miles alone?  Not me!
- I bought another pair of compression pants.  2 out of the 3 pairs I bought at Old Navy are capris and they're fine for the gym, but if I'm outside and it's under 50 degrees I want long pants!  They were 17 bucks at Ross.  I also bought a long sleeve shirt and a heavy duty sports bra at Target.  The shirt was only $15 but the bra was $23.  My girls need to be supported and I usually wear 2 cheap bras, but I think it's time to upgrade my life.  Yay for cheap running gear!

So I've been training for four weeks and I'd been thinking about getting some new running shoes and with the pain I experienced this week, it seemed like it was finally time to make it happen.  I'd heard great things from multiple people about North Wales Running Co. so I decided to check it out.  Apparently my feet are pretty neutral, but I have a little bit of pronation in my right foot, which could have caused my hip pain. After trying on six different pairs of shoes and spent time in each walking around the store and doing some running on the treadmill there, I finally decided on these bad boys!

They are the Mizuno Wave Inspire 8 and I'm in love with them.  I can't wait to go for a run!  I spent 115 bucks, which is definitely the most I've ever spent on a pair of sneaks, but I think they'll definitely be worth it in the long run (pun intended?!) and hopefully help me avoid injuries!  I also picked up some fancy sweat wicking socks.  The man who helped me at the store was awesome and I had a great experience!

Do you splurge on your sneaks or do you look for what's on sale?

Read more about my training here.