Half Marathon Training Week 1: This Girl Needs a Goal

As some of you may know, I've committed to TWO half marathons in October and they're two weeks apart. This may seem like nothing to some runners but, for me, it's a first. I've done a couple of fulls, a few halves, and a ton of other races but never two big ones this close together. Needless to say, I'm nervous and excited all at the same time. 

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I'm the type of runner that needs a running goal in order to be motivated to run. If I don't have a race to look forward to, I will easily skip running workouts by saying there's no reason I HAVE to do it. 

I'm also the type of runner that does a lot of research to find a program that fits my life at that time. This time around, I have a running partner. This is the first time since the one year I ran in college that I've even attempted to run with someone (I'm way to self conscious about slowing others down). Fortunately, I have the perfect partner and we both have to run with our babies.  We do our own thing during the week and do our long runs together on Saturdays. My long runs are not the same without her!

So...week 1 of training (from competitor.com)...I have to switch the days up based on my personal schedule but I try to get all of the workouts in at some point. All workouts this week were done with James in stroller: 

• Sunday, 7/13: 4mi + 4x20" strides (Avg pace 9:38, fastest mile 9:13, slowest 10:01)
• Monday, 7/14: Easy 3 miler (no GPS or watch this date...it was just one of those days)
• Tuesday, 7/15: 6 mi tempo run (2 mi WU, 3 mi @ 1/2 marathon pace, 1 mi CD; 1/2 pace average 8:48)
• Wednesday, 7/16: Cross Training, P90X Yoga
• Thursday, 7/17: 4mi + 4x20" strides (Avg pace 9:18, fastest mile 9:07, slowest 9:42)
• Friday, 7/18: REST DAY!!!
• Saturday, 7/19: 8 miles; I'm pretty sure I ran uphill for 7 miles and, finally, downhill the last mile! Avg pace 9:38, fastest mile 9:03 (mile 8), slowest 10:25 (mile 1)

Overall, it was a great first week of training. There were some cool days and some HOT and HUMID days but this body must adjust!!