My 2nd Half Marathon

Remember when I worked a street corner last weekend? I was volunteering at a race near me and would love to say that I normally spend my weekends volunteering but I don’t. I did it so I could get a free race entry! And now I am officially signed up for my 2nd half marathon!

half impressed

And now it’s time to really train again! Summer is over and my life has gotten back on schedule, I made the commitment to do another half marathon! My first half was was back in June and I managed to train for it (and a sprint triathlon) during one of the busiest times of my life – the final semester of grad school.

twin lobster half marathon

This time around, I am training solo which scares the hell out of me. And my training schedule is far more compressed. I devised this 9-week half marathon training plan based off a suggested plan from the my asics app.

9 week fall half marathon

I learned a lot from my first half and plan to make a few changes when training for this one.

  1. Drink water during training runs – I didn’t do this at all last time around because I was nervous about running with water. Dumb. I’m not sure what my plan will be (running with water, stashing water somewhere, planning routes around the house so I can stop in and grab a sip?)
  2. Take in more calories during long runs – I researched how to do this thoroughly but realized I need to take in calories more often than most people recommend. I love Clif Shot Bloks but might try some real food this time around.
  3. Run in shorts – Training for my first half in the late winter and spring, I wore capris almost always. Then, race day came and it was hot! Well, it was hot for June. I didn’t want to switch things up on race day so I wore capris and was dying of heat.
  4. Foam roll, foam roll, foam roll – And more foam rolling. And more stretching, especially after long runs. And I would love to say more yoga but its hard to fit in.

Technically, this plan started last week but I super failed at getting all of my runs in but I am focused this week and can’t wait to hit the fall leaf covered sidewalks (and the treadmill). This is week 2 of my training and last night I completed some fun cross training last night and have my clothes ready to go for a 3-mile run tonight.

I am really looking forward to get my run game back on track!

Half MerryThon – December 7th

Past Training

Dual Training – Sprint Triathlon & Half Marathon

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Friday, Friday

You are finally here! Its been sort of a bummer week. We had crappy weather and work things didn’t go great so I am really looking forward to the weekend. The weather is supposed to be PERFECT, low 80s and sunny!

I am doing something new tomorrow morning that I am very excited for…BEACH YOGA! Mugsy, our friend Michele and I are headed to the beach bright and early for a slow flow style class with an emphasis on form and alignment. After Sunday’s half marathon this is exactly what I need.

beach yoga

(photo source)

The only real fitness activity I got done this was was a slow 2.5 mile run on Wednesday which didn’t feel great and a spin class this morning. I needed a little more recovery time than I initially thought but I plan to be back in action next week.

I’ve also started doing a little research on fall half marathons. Here are a few I am thinking about:

  • Wicked Half Marathon (Sept. 20th) – Iv’e run one part of this course during a marathon relay and another part during a 5 mile road race and yet another part of it during a 5k race. SO basically I’ve run this race before, just not all at once. There are SUPER hilly parts but it is beautiful with lots of ocean views. Definitely a contender!
  • Smuttynose Rockfest Half Marathon (Oct. 5th) – A couple people I know have run this and I’ve heard its SUPER flat…like flaaaaaaat. This makes me a little nervous because I feel like it would be boring.
  • United Healthcare Half Marathon (Oct. 12th) – This race is down in Newport, RI and it is GORGEOUS! I ran part of it a few years ago during a marathon relay and would love to run the full 13.1 mile course. Down side – paying $$ to stay in Newport overnight during the high season. Why can’t I just have all the money in the world?
  • Newburyport Half Marathon (Oct. 26th) – I don’t know anything about this race but I love Newburyport and its late enough in fall that it probably be perfect weather.

I’m not ready to sign up for any of these races yet. Mugsy – If you are reading this, let me know your thoughts! If I can con her into training for another one with me I’ll be pretty happy!

Have a happy Friday and don’t forget it’s National Donut Day!