As of the week previous, I've tried to stick to a decent running schedule to start getting in better shape for the half marathon. I figure that I need something besides just my running challenges (currently looking forward to the next month of 5 by the 5th) to really get me ready. Here's what my weeks are probably going to look like, given the pattern I've just (mostly) set:
Monday: 2 miles (pacing)
Tuesday: 3 miles (jogger/resistance)
Wednesday: 4-6 miles (intermediate distance)
Thursday: 3 miles (jogger resistance)
Friday: REST (or cross training/abs)
Saturday: 9+ miles (distance)
Sunday: REST
At a minimum, that's 22 miles per week. Provided I can actually get out on Wednesday mornings and Saturday afternoons - even in the cold - to haul myself along.
This was essentially my plan for the other week, though I did switch around Thursday and Friday since the Husband cycled to work on Thursday for a change. It feels like the right combination of distance, resistance, and speed work for me. Not to mention, a goodly amount of rest as well, which is just as important. I'll give little summaries of my progress from RunKeeper since the only person who follows me right now is my brother-in-law. (And being much faster than I am, he puts me to shame.)
I've always been told that distance runs are the really important ones when you're training for a half or full marathon, but for me, I think, the most important days will be whichever ones I use to do core exercises while E sleeps. My abs still have a gap that hasn't quite knitted together since being pregnant, and aside from always having been really persnickety about my abs, I'm sure that they're holding back my running as untoned as they are. So while my obvious task is to up my mileage so that my body (especially my knees and hips) can manage 13.1 miles in one go, I definitely need to pay far more attention to my midsection than I have been. My go-to move? Planks. Once I can do more than 30 seconds in one go, I'll feel like I'm achieving something.
This latest week has been rubbish for getting myself out and on runs. I managed 2 short 2-milers on Wednesday and meant to do something else today, but just didn't have the oomph for it after a long night with E. To be honest, you wouldn't want to brave the cold to run either if you'd spent the night sleeping in 2-hour shifts that were delineated by 45-minute periods of being kicked in the stomach and having the covers stolen by your 15-month-old son. I love my boy, I do, but his days of coming into Mummy and Daddy's bed are numbered until he stops sleep-wrestling me.
One thing this week has been good for, though, is my cross-training. I've been doing much better about squeezing in a few planks here and there during a day and trying to work on my balance and core strength. Those planks are at 35 seconds a piece, now, which makes me feel like I'm getting somewhere. Baby steps.
So, accountability time: my plan is to go for a 3 or 4-mile run tomorrow (likely with E in the jogger) and then - provided the paths aren't too iced over from the snow the BBC weather team has been promising us - do a proper 9 miles on Sunday. I'd do it Saturday, but the youngest brother-in-law has just returned from 2 years in France doing missionary work, so we'll be spending the day introducing him to his 'new' nephews. He hasn't met the boys yet! Personally, I'm excited to see how E takes to his Uncle Robin.
Anyway: 3 miles Friday, 9 miles Sunday. Hold me to it, people! Because in this freezing weather, I need a little extra motivation.
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