A Single Step

As I embark on this half marathon journey, I want to be able to chart my progress and see how it goes - share the good and the bad. When I see it in front of me, I can see my successes as well as my failures. It can serve as a source of kudos as well as a wake up call. So here we go - the first chance to document my training.

Week One

"A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step."

Tuesday - 3 Miles

3.23 miles

Not the great start I was looking for. I've taken a couple of weeks off, and I mean from a running and nutrition standpoint. Usually the first run back is 1.5-2 to "cleanse," but that wouldn't be good enough for my day 1. So am I glad I pushed through and made it the 3 miles? Yes. But did it feel good? No. But it was a successful day 1. The journey has started, and that feels great. I realized mid way through that I should probably time my runs so I can adjust speed as well as see progression. But oh well! Next time...

Wednesday - 3 Miles

3.22 miles - 32:58 - 10:14 pace

Today was pretty cold, so I was more bundled than I usually am. It was my chance to test out my new athletic jacket I got for Christmas. I'll be honest. Today hurt - just as I was a little surprised I made it the whole way yesterday, I was equally surprised today. I kept wanting to go faster and faster, but my legs didn't want to keep up. They were pretty dead, which was a little disheartening. Granted, this is only day 2 and I haven't been running that frequently recently, but if I struggle this much the 2nd day in a row, will I make it 3 months? I actually thought the pacing would have been slower, so I'll take it. I'm going to be sore tomorrow...

Thursday - 3 Miles

3.34 miles - 34:34 - 10:20 pace

This one was the hardest to get off of the couch. I didn't want to. At all. But what a beautiful night! Chilly, but not quite cold. I started off feeling amazing! I hit a nice stride, and my legs felt great. Until about 2.5 - that's when I started feeling this whole running 3 days in a row thing. I haven't run 3 days straight in a long time. If I would have guessed, I would have thought the time would have been a little faster. Not a thoroughly impressive run, but very solid. Now that I'm getting into a routine again, I can start cutting down the time.

Friday - Rest

Yes! I made it through the first trifecta, and now I can relax. Grabbed dinner, watched a movie. Life is good :)

Saturday - 4 Miles

5 mile race - Snowman Stampede - 51:10 - 10:14 pace

February race is in the books. The first mile was a little frustrating because of the amount of people putzing along. I felt strong until about mile 3.5, then I just started getting tired. And chafing. Then it just became about finishing. This is the first 5 mile run in a few months, so I wasn't expecting a whole lot out of today. All things considered, I'm pretty happy with my time. I'm also excited that the running portion of week 1 is completed, and I exceeded the mileage on every run.

Sunday - Cross

Rest

Still a little sore from yesterdays race. Let's take it easy and gear up for week 2!