I have been planning on getting myself in back in shape for quite some time now. Pretty much since I graduated from college which is coming up on 10 years now. It's hard. To be perfectly honest, I hate working out. I don't consider myself a lazy person overall. I just do not find exercise to be fun. Sure, I always feel better afterwards. I sleep better. It helps with my anxiety. All that cute stuff. But I hate every single second of exercise. There I admit it.
My resolution for the new year was not to start running. Instead, I resolved to be more grateful for the things in my life. One of the things I am extremely grateful for is my health, however there are a lot of things that I do (and don't do) that are less than healthy. I found a link on someone's Facebook page that showed the progress a man made trying to improve his fitness. Long story short, he was told that he would never be able to run again. He was having trouble just walking. It starts out with him barely able to stand and over the course of about a year he continues with Yoga and strength training. By the end he was sprinting. What the hell is my excuse? Lightbulb!!! It appears that I am in fact lazy. That realization hurt.
My big brother, Jared, is very into fitness and wellness. He's pretty much a perfectionist. Sorry Jared, but it's true. You are one perfection seeking mo-fo. I love you for it. So anyway, I was talking to him about my desire to drop weight, improve my fitness, etc. and he mentioned that one of the ways he challenges himself is by signing up for a race or triathlon. I feel like he knows me pretty well so if he thinks I can do it, I should pursue it. So I looked into some local races and found a 1/2 marathon that is at the end of April. Go big or go home, right? Why would I sign up for a 5k or something when I can just sign up for a 1/2 marathon? Apparently I was feeling very confident the night when I signed up. Yikes. He checked out the training plan provided. Verdict: it will be a challenge, but is doable as long as I get my butt in gear. And so it begins.
I have decided to keep a little blog/diary of my progress. Hopefully I will look back and be pleased with my progress. I am also hoping that my friends that are runners will take some time to read along each week and offer support and advice (Pretty Please?).
Here are my goals:
1. Complete the training schedule.
2. Finish the race without being kicked off the course for exceeding the time limit.
Yep, that's it. Just two. They might seem ridiculous to all you runners out there, but trust me, they are going to be two challenges for me! So please, check in with me once a week and leave a comment or a suggestion. I can use all the advice you can throw at me.
You are going to absolutely rock it! I did the same with my first. Just signed up, terrified. It was the smartest thing I did! Follow your plan the best you can and try to meet each mile goal. It'll help on race day! Also, enjoy your short runs and don't skip them. Use them to work on pace! Drink lots of water. :) lots. I can't wait to follow this! Good luck! XOXO
ReplyDeleteAwesome! I look forward to holding you accountable every week! What's your training plan, if I may ask? I prefer FIRST (Furman Institute of Runnning and Strength Training) method. I like it because it's geared towards beginners and it doesn't require much running... only three days per week. The other three days are just cardio workouts of your choice. It also allows you to switch things up a bit so you don't get sick of running.
ReplyDeleteTo add on to the water consumption thing, know what works for you. Your body can absorb a MAX of 40 oz per hour. That's with no physical exertion, which would decrease that amount, and without electrolytes (potassium, sodium, calcium) which would increase that amount. The key is to find what works best for you when you practice during all your training. Ideally, you'll weigh the same before and after a workout. Here's a good article about water consumption.
http://www.uni.edu/dolgener/Advanced_Sport_Nutrition/fluid_intake.pdf
I look forward to leaving page length comments every week!
PS - Don't use the Katie Klohs method of training... one long run of 3 miles before the race. Bad, bad, bad!
I knew I would be able to count on you Mike for humor :) I will definitely check out the training plan you mentioned. It sounds very similar to the one I am working off of. The name of the race is Athleta Iron Girl Half Marathon. It's in Columbia, MD.
DeleteErin- are you doing the Chicago Marathon again? Isn't that the one you did last year?
Hil! Yes, Chicago rock n roll half in July and a full in Chicago in Oct. My first full. :/ It'll be my first full so I know what you're going through. Hope training is still going well!!!
ReplyDelete