1/2 Marathon

Have I told you that I signed up for a 1/2 marathon?  Yep!  It is in 3 weeks.  It is something I have been thinking about since this summer when I trained for the Rock the Parkway 10K and Hospital Hill 10K.  Both of those runs were things I never thought I could accomplish.  After all, I started running about 14 months ago.  This was my first 5K (well in about 10 years at least.)  Before last summer I was never a runner.  I have always worked out and attempted to stay fit, but never a runner. 

When I was at the Rock the Parkway run and the Hospital Hill run I was a little jealous.  Jealous of the people wearing the bib that represented the color of running the 1/2 marathon.  I was in awe looking at some of the people with the 1/2 marathon bib and wondering how on earth they were going to run 13.1 miles.  If they can do it surely I can do it. 

Did you know Mark completed a 1/2 marathon this summer.  Yep.  He trained in 5 weeks (he was already running 6 miles pretty easily.)  I secretly think he did not want me to complete a 1/2 marathon before he did.  He is going to do another one in the Spring.  Rock the Parkway 1/2 marathon.

When he came across the finish line he said "don't sign up, don't do it.  It was very hard."  But after a while he came around, got some water in him and re hydrated himself and said he would do it again.

This has been my training schedule for the last 9 weeks.  I  have also used another schedule similar that will actually take me up to 12 miles before race day.  I have ran 3-4 times a week with my long runs on Saturday mornings.  I have been getting up at 5:45 to be out running by 6:00.  I love running first thing in the morning.  This is something very empowering and calming about running in the dark, watching the sun rise, and just looking ahead at the pavement in front of you.  I am slow.  Very slow.  But really, who cares?  I am running faster than those of you sitting on your couch (I saw that quote recently and thought it was perfect.  So what if I am running slow..I am running...10 miles last Saturday and 11 miles this Saturday.) 

My neighbors just completed a 1/2 marathon last weekend.  She is 21 and the Dad is 50.  They both had amazing times.  My other neighbor is also running in the 1/2 marathon that I am running in.  Again, his time will be amazing.

So as I continue my training I am excited and ready for the run.  I usually get this way about now.  I am tired of training and just ready to run the race!  I am looking forward to the sense of accomplishment in completing something I never thought was possible, and pushing my self harder and farther than I ever thought possible.

I love the challenge and can't wait for the end result.  Wish me luck!