Warming Up...

Hey all! So once again, I’m training to run the PF Changs Half Marathon in January. I decided to blog my progress for a couple of reasons…first, it’ll keep me on track those days I really don’t want to run, and second, it’ll allow you to see how I’m doing (and hopefully send me some encouragement:)).

I tend to do best on any long-term goal when I break it down into shorter-term goals. This worked great last year training, so I’m going to try a similar approach this year. I have the advantage of my experience from last time around…but I've also increased my goal by quite a bit. No sense in not improving, and I figure since I proved to myself I can complete the run, I may as well aim higher this year.

A little on my running history…I didn’t grow up a long distance runner…in fact I hated it. I was always a fast, short-distance runner. In college I started to work running into my workouts. But I still dreaded it. I worked my way up over the years, but was often plagued with knee injuries (or the frequent broken bones, serious cuts to my feet and knees that occur when you’re a complete klutz and require months of healing time). About five years ago I dedicated myself to really adding some distance…the only trick was, I did it all on the treadmill. After probably a year of not much running (see comment above regarding self-induced injuries), I decided last September I was going to try to run the half in January. It took about a month, and a move back across the state, to really motivate me…and I began training last October. Pretty much starting from zero, I began training entirely outdoors for the first time in my life. My initial goal was just to finish the 13.1 mile run on January 13th. There were a lot of days I wasn’t sure that would happen. But I kept pushing…I really wanted to do this race…it was ultimately the biggest physical goal I’d ever placed on myself. So week after week I went out there and just aimed to add time to my previous week.

The week of the race, I had yet to hit my training goal of 90 minutes. I was close, but wasn’t quite there. The holidays had made December a tricky month for training with several trips out of town (and fun to be had in town). Five days before the run, I went out for what was going to be my last attempt for my longest run yet before the race. It was one of those days where I could have run forever…but I stopped myself at 92 minutes (9.5 miles), knowing I had plenty of opportunity to push myself the coming Sunday. It restored my confidence, and I knew I’d not only finish the run, but that I’d do it in my newly set goal of 2 hours and 11 minutes…ten minute miles. I thought it was a pretty fair goal for my first half.

The day of the race, I woke up to the coldest weather Phoenix has seen…ever. It was 27 degrees that morning when I left my house. I was pretty nervous, and my feet were darn near freezing as I waited in my corral to start the run. I was smack in the middle of 30,000 people all feeling the same nervous-energy, dancing around trying to keep warm. I’d opted to place myself amongst those with a goal finishing time of two hours and 7 minutes…figuring it might give me a little push and keep me on track with my goal of 2:11.

As we took off, I quickly got into my rhythm, and by mile two could start to feel my feet…a good feeling while you’re running! I’d never participated in any race before, so I was learning quickly how the drink stations work, and how to navigate the huge group of runners. I found myself easily moving ahead of the pack I had started with. Each time I passed a mile marker, I’d spend the next several minute doing the math in my head to figure where I was on track to finish…and that alone kept propelling me mile by mile. I realized by mile 11, that not only was I going to finish this race (first goal), but I was going to blow away my hoped finishing time of 2:11 (second goal). So, I decided to set myself a third goal…to do my best to complete it in less than 2 hours. I realized moving into the last mile, that I may have been aiming a little high, but I sure did try for it, finishing at two hours and 24 seconds…just 24 seconds shy of the two hour mark. As silly as it sounds, I was really disappointed (but got over it quickly…heck, I just ran 13.1 miles, gotta give myself a break!). I did manage to run at 9:11 miles, which is 49 seconds off my per mile goal time, and as any runner knows, considerably faster. So all in all, I was extremely proud of myself. I found the whole experience to be one of the most satisfying in my life. To set out from pretty much zero, and work your way through a process internally, and come out with the result considerably better than you ever could have hoped…well it just feels plain old good!

All this brings me to my goals for this race…first off to complete it (you just never know what can get in your way), second to complete it in 9 minute-miles, which is 1:57:54, a full two and a half minutes off last years time. And third, is to find a cause to raise money for in the process. I’m working on figuring out the third, but I’ll share details as I have them.

As some of you may know, on account of being my targets, I’ve also been trying my best to recruit others to run. I’d love for any of you to have this accomplishment for yourself. I have a few people who seem to be considering it, and regardless of your level of running, I truly believe with just over 18 weeks until the race, anyone could train and complete it. I hope you try…I’d love to celebrate with you at the finish line!

So this Sunday, September 9th, my official training begins. Although I’ve continued to run indoors (hey, summers in AZ are a little brutal), I’ve had minimal running the past several months. Wish me luck…and follow my progress. Maybe I’ll come up with a few new goals along the way.

(I promise all my postings here forward will be MUCH shorter!)