Working out the bugs

The training continues but not without issues. One of the days that I run is also my busiest teaching day and I've already missed a run because of that. This week went OK but I'm just going to have to see how it plays out. If I start missing runs regularly I'm going to have to rethink my schedule. I really don't want to have to get up at 5am and run before I head to work but if that's what it takes to stay on track I'll consider it. I also got sidelined by a very nasty virus that I'm still not 100% over. I missed a run and a cross training workout because of that. So this is actually my first full week of training for several weeks now. But I think I'm back in the groove. My long run tomorrow is 6 miles so we'll see how that goes. At least the weather is now perfect for running!

Small steps

Well, I started my training program for the half-marathon. So far, so good. Of course, I'm only on day 3 but hey, you have to celebrate even the smallest steps, right? I mean, I'm on track and I haven't injured myself yet. That's got to be worth a gold star or something. Classes will be starting in 12 days. That will be the real challenge - to stick with my training routine once my work load shoots through the roof. Hopefully with 2 weeks behind me already I'll be in somewhat of a groove. I may have even convinced a fellow professor to join me in the race. I'm sure he'll kick my butt but oh well.

I think I can

I took a look at the training program for the half-marathon in my favorite running book, Marathoning for Mortals. I was thinking that I wouldn't be able to pull off the Philly half-marathon this year but now I'm thinking otherwise. It's a 14 week training program which means I'd have to start in a couple of weeks. Since I don't have any upcoming travel for the next few months I don't see any real obstacles. Except for my laziness, but that's a constant. So I've written the program goals in my planner for the next 4 months and I'm going to give it my best shot. Heck, even if I don't stick to the program it wouldn't be the first time I ran a half-marathon a little under-prepared.

The Beginning

I'm starting this blog mostly for myself but also for anyone interested in reading about a normal person (or as normal as you can consider someone like me to be) training to run a marathon. I first started running years ago as a grad student at Arizona State University. Oddly enough, I hated running. I was a big fan of aerobics, so much so that I started teaching step aerobics, but running was never an activity I enjoyed. I started doing it because some part of me felt that doing something that was hard for me and being successful at it would make it even more rewarding. That's how it all started.
I worked up to running 5K's, mostly the Race for the Cure in whatever city I was living in. By the way, I highly recommend that race to everyone, even non-runners. After many years of running, I somehow got the idea that I wanted to run a half-marathon. It seemed crazy but what the hey. I lived in Tucson at the time so the Tucson half-marathon was an obvious choice. Plus there is the benefit that the race is almost entirely downhill. Woohoo! The first time I ran the course I was 2 months pregnant (I ran one of the Race for the Cure's when I was 6 months pregnant). I finished in 2:40 or so. The guy who won the marathon, which started 13.1 miles behind me and 30 minutes after me, beat me across the finish line by 10 minutes. ! Oh well. My goal was just to finish, not set any records, so mission accomplished. The next year I ran it again, increased my time by 10-15 minutes, and beat the marathon finisher by a few minutes. Yea!
My next goal would be to run the entire marathon. I started training and was waylaid by a hip injury. After that I had a hard time getting back into running on a regular basis. So here it is, many years later, and I'm trying to find my groove again. I'm only running short distances at the moment and haven't participated in any races for some time. I hope to rectify that soon and eventually run in the Philadelphia Marathon. I was hoping it would be this year (the race is in November) however I still have a ways to go before I'm ready for that kind of training. They just added a half-marathon course last year so perhaps I'll be up for that by the time November rolls around.
My current running routine takes me around the WCU campus where I teach. I'm hoping to get some students to run with me this fall. I'm sure they'll find my slow, lumbering pace a bit amusing but if it gets them out and running I don't mind the snickers. Besides, I'm in charge of their grades.