1/2 Marathon - Here I Come!

That’s that. I ran my first half marathon spot on to my goal. My knee started aching at mile 2 but I was able to push through. The first six miles were relatively flat and went extremely smoothly. Over the next three to four miles the hills set in and really gave me a run for the money. The final three were a struggle, but I crossed the finish line a full 27 seconds ahead of the secret goal I had set. Today my left knee and hip are sore, other then that I’m feeling great. I guess I’ll have to change the name of my blog now. What’s next?

Workout:

• Type: Run
• Date: 04/06/2008
• Time: 07:00:00
• Total Time: 00:02:23.33
• Distance: 13.1 miles
• Average Pace: 0:10.94/mile

Well, that’s it. I’ve completed my training program. Now I just have to run the race. I’m feeling pretty confident and looking forward to seeing a goal I have had for over 5 years come to fruition. I honestly never really believed that I could do it. I guess I really shouldn’t count my chickens just yet! Any last minute race advice is welcome!

Workout:

• Type: Run
• Date: 04/03/2008
• Total Time: 00:00:18.44
• Distance: 2 miles
• Average Pace: 0:09.22/mile

Today I gave a light Jog a try. To my surprise my knee felt a little tight but did not cause any major pain. I guess the rest and ice has helped. I feel like I am ready for the race on Sunday. I am starting to get nervous about the logistics of getting up and out the door so early (not so much for myself, but my 3 year old son can be a real pill in the morning!) Tonight will be my last run before the race. Woohoo!

Workout:

• Type: Run
• Date: 04/03/2008
• Time: 17:00:00
• Total Time: 00:00:30.10
• Distance: 3 miles
• Average Pace: 0:10.03/mile

My knee started hurting around mile 2. By mile three I was worried I was going to splat face first on the treadmill due to an intense sharp pain with every step. I decided that with the race just a week away it was best not to push to hard and give myself a few days of rest.

Workout:

• Type: Run
• Date: 03/31/2008
• Time: 10:00:00
• Total Time: 00:00:30.00
• Distance: 3 miles
• Average Pace: 0:10/mile

Workout:

• Type: Run
• Date: 03/27/2008
• Time: 19:43:10
• Total Time: 00:00:52.06
• Distance: 5.02 miles
• Average Pace: 0:10.37/mile

Tonight I had to take a bathroom break during my 5 mile run. Not the kind you like to take; especially since I was running in a primarily residential neighborhood (i managed to find a small wooded area to take care of business). I blame Kashi Go Lean Crunch. I typically eat plain old oatmeal for breakfast, but have read a lot of good things about Kashi and thought I’d give it a try. It turns out the 9 grams of fiber and 5 grams of protein are too much for little old me. Despite the time out I finished my 5 miles in good time and went on to have a nice dinner out with my husband (our little man is staying with Gramma & Grampa). Embarassing…YES. The truth… YES. Anyone else?

Good News! Mc Donald’s has reintroduced their Southwest Chicken Salad!!!! I fell in love with it last year and was upset when they stopped selling it. The whole salad including dressing is only 420 calories, 15 grams of fat, 6 grams fiber, and 31 grams of protein. If you haven’t tried it and you like something with a little kick I highly recommend it. Discovering this at the drive thru window really made my night!

Note to self. Do not trust St. Louis County Parks map mileage. Tuesday I ran a loop that was supposed to be one mile long five times. When I finished about 8 minutes early I knew there was something wrong. At home that night I used www.mapmyrun.com to calculate the distance and found that the route was actually .83 miles. What a bummer. The good thing I realized is that I am comfortable with my pace and know what to expect out of a run. This is my last full week of training and I’m bummed that I inadvertently shorted myself. I don’t think it will affect the overall outcome of the race, but it is the only run that I didn’t “complete” on my training schedule. Let the 10 day countdown begin!

Workout:

• Type: Run
• Date: 03/26/2008
• Total Time: 00:00:28.03
• Distance: 3 miles
• Average Pace: 0:09.34/mile

Workout:

• Type: Run
• Date: 03/25/2008
• Time: 12:00:00
• Total Time: 00:00:42.00
• Distance: 4.13 miles
• Average Pace: 0:10.17/mile