OH MY WORD! Y'all, I cannot even believe the week of my half marathon is here. I'm am freaking out a little bit! I can't believe it's been six months since I started my training.
Last week my nerves were completely shot. I couldn't focus on anything but this race and "what if" I come in last place, "what if" I suck, "what if..." blah blah blah. After talking to a friend who has completed many half marathons I felt much better. The race isn't consuming my thoughts at this point, but I do still get butterflies and nervous feelings when people mention it. I mean...four days! I'm going to run 13.1 miles in FOUR days!
Y'all, training has been so fun. Actual physical running aside, I have met so many fun people! Some I've met in person and lots I haven't, but talk to them on blogger/twitter/facebook like we've been friends forever. You have all been so encouraging throughout the last six months and I'm SO grateful for that! Hopefully we can keep those new friendships going...the encouragement is definitely necessary. :)
So this week's training is super easy. Almost seems too easy compared to the rest. Couple of three milers and then the big day...(Eeeek!!) I can't wait to blog after the half marathon!
I know this post has been all over the place. I'm a big ball of nerves and excitement right now!
Talk to you all soon!
Jessica
Tuesday, November 27, 2012
Tuesday, November 13, 2012
Ramblings
OH MY WORD. Can y'all believe the big race is only about two and a half weeks away?! I can't! It's now time to start tapering my training, which means lowering my long runs until race day! Yay! I'll probably do a ten miler this weekend, an eight miler next weekend, and then the half marathon.
Yesterday I ran the Greenway with two friends that have been training for the half marathon with me. Our run was somewhere between 6 and 8 miles (GPS kept losing signal) and it was a decent run compared to my average, but I'm SO slow. And running with my friends, while it definitely holds me accountable, can be so discouraging. I really should have done speed work in my training. But oh well. Next time.
Speaking of next time, my friends and I have been discussing a little whether or not we will keep running after the half. I really can't answer for sure right now, but it's definitely something I think about a lot. On one hand, it's still SO hard to me. It would be really easy to never run again after I cross that finish line on December 1st. But on another hand, I've come so far and I've never stuck with anything as long as I have stuck with running. (Sad, I know.) Plus I haven't gotten as good as I'd like to, so part of me wants to keep training after the half. There's also something really exciting about the thought of just going out for a run and not having to measure the distance to make sure I'm meeting my training requirements...you know, just going out to run for fun. I really do want to continue, so I guess the trick here will be taking a long enough break after the half to let my body recover, but not so long that I don't ever start back.
So, marathoners and half marathoners, how long of a break do y'all take after a big race like this? Or do y'all take one at all? Do y'all find it hard to start back?
Jessica
Yesterday I ran the Greenway with two friends that have been training for the half marathon with me. Our run was somewhere between 6 and 8 miles (GPS kept losing signal) and it was a decent run compared to my average, but I'm SO slow. And running with my friends, while it definitely holds me accountable, can be so discouraging. I really should have done speed work in my training. But oh well. Next time.
Speaking of next time, my friends and I have been discussing a little whether or not we will keep running after the half. I really can't answer for sure right now, but it's definitely something I think about a lot. On one hand, it's still SO hard to me. It would be really easy to never run again after I cross that finish line on December 1st. But on another hand, I've come so far and I've never stuck with anything as long as I have stuck with running. (Sad, I know.) Plus I haven't gotten as good as I'd like to, so part of me wants to keep training after the half. There's also something really exciting about the thought of just going out for a run and not having to measure the distance to make sure I'm meeting my training requirements...you know, just going out to run for fun. I really do want to continue, so I guess the trick here will be taking a long enough break after the half to let my body recover, but not so long that I don't ever start back.
So, marathoners and half marathoners, how long of a break do y'all take after a big race like this? Or do y'all take one at all? Do y'all find it hard to start back?
Jessica
Monday, November 5, 2012
Weekend Recap
I wanted to post a recap of my weekend because it was probably the best weekend for running since I started my training.
First, I got my racing singlet in the mail last week. That made me SO nervous, but also extra motivated!
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Friday night I ran another race...the True Blue 5K at the University of Memphis. It was SO MUCH better than the one I ran the week before. I still ran it pretty slowly, but felt much better after this one than I did after the BWW 5K. I didn't even cry during or after this one...ha! Plus, we got to run through the tiger's mouth to cross the finish line...how can you be upset about that??
Saturday morning I met a friend at the Green Line and we were going to attempt our long run for the week...9 miles. My body nor my stinky attitude were going to let me do nine miles that day. In fact, they weren't going to let me do more than two. So I finished a little two miler and went on home completely mad at myself, but swearing I'd do nine the next day.
I may have still been a little bit unsure of myself on Sunday, but that evening I popped some Gatorade energy chews, met up with two friends and we set out for the nine miler. We started out at one of my friend's place and about 5.5 miles in were at my place, where we all paused slightly for a water/bathroom break. Also took a Gu packet at this point. (Note to self: no more blackberry gu...NOT good!) Leaving my place to finish it off I knew there was no way we weren't going to finish. See, my car was at my friend's house, which is exactly 3.5 miles from mine at the shortest route. We had no choice but to finish. The first and last mile were the hardest to me...and when we made it back to friend's house I wasn't in the greatest mood. But holy crap. We did it. We ran nine miles, which was the longest run for any of us. That's only 4.1 miles short of our half marathon! I left friend's house without saying much to the girls, but it was just minutes before I called/texted them freaking out about what we had just accomplished. I also couldn't wait to text Christin to tell her about it.
This nine miler included the tiny little mile Christin and I ran together on my very first ever run. Back then I think I had to stop and walk 4 or 5 times before I made it just half a mile. I hadn't run that stretch since Christin and I ran it together, so of that entire nine miles I think running that little piece without stopping may have been the most rewarding. (Yes, I'm a nerd.)
We shoot for 10 miles this weekend and I know now that I can do it. I'm pumped and super excited for the half marathon coming up in just four weeks! Now...let's just hope this motivation can last!
Jessica
First, I got my racing singlet in the mail last week. That made me SO nervous, but also extra motivated!
.JPG)
Friday night I ran another race...the True Blue 5K at the University of Memphis. It was SO MUCH better than the one I ran the week before. I still ran it pretty slowly, but felt much better after this one than I did after the BWW 5K. I didn't even cry during or after this one...ha! Plus, we got to run through the tiger's mouth to cross the finish line...how can you be upset about that??
Saturday morning I met a friend at the Green Line and we were going to attempt our long run for the week...9 miles. My body nor my stinky attitude were going to let me do nine miles that day. In fact, they weren't going to let me do more than two. So I finished a little two miler and went on home completely mad at myself, but swearing I'd do nine the next day.
I may have still been a little bit unsure of myself on Sunday, but that evening I popped some Gatorade energy chews, met up with two friends and we set out for the nine miler. We started out at one of my friend's place and about 5.5 miles in were at my place, where we all paused slightly for a water/bathroom break. Also took a Gu packet at this point. (Note to self: no more blackberry gu...NOT good!) Leaving my place to finish it off I knew there was no way we weren't going to finish. See, my car was at my friend's house, which is exactly 3.5 miles from mine at the shortest route. We had no choice but to finish. The first and last mile were the hardest to me...and when we made it back to friend's house I wasn't in the greatest mood. But holy crap. We did it. We ran nine miles, which was the longest run for any of us. That's only 4.1 miles short of our half marathon! I left friend's house without saying much to the girls, but it was just minutes before I called/texted them freaking out about what we had just accomplished. I also couldn't wait to text Christin to tell her about it.
This nine miler included the tiny little mile Christin and I ran together on my very first ever run. Back then I think I had to stop and walk 4 or 5 times before I made it just half a mile. I hadn't run that stretch since Christin and I ran it together, so of that entire nine miles I think running that little piece without stopping may have been the most rewarding. (Yes, I'm a nerd.)
We shoot for 10 miles this weekend and I know now that I can do it. I'm pumped and super excited for the half marathon coming up in just four weeks! Now...let's just hope this motivation can last!
Jessica
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