My feelings towards signing up for a half-marathon clinic were all over the map this week. Excited. Exhausted. Determined. Overwhelmed. Proud. Nervous. Encouraged. Guilty. On top of the world. Barely making it through. You are probably thinking, Yikes. If she feels like this on week 1 out of 14, how is she ever going to make it?!? Well, I have thought that this week as well!
Why did I choose to do this? Well, I love running and challenging myself. I’ve ran and trained for a couple of half-marathons, and have ran in a few 10K races, since having my first child, nine years ago, and each time I feel I have learned something about myself through the experience. It’s been approximately three years since the last time I ran/trained for a half-marathon and I just feel like it's the right time for me to embark on this journey again, and my husband has agreed to support me and take on more so that I can do this (he is 100% awesome!). This time I am seeking motivation and expertise from a local business that runs various running clinics for people of all levels and for various distances. I really want to achieve a PB time, my previous times were 2:10:00 and 2:06:59, and I know that in order to achieve a significant improvement I need an external push and some education on how to achieve this.
I was not disappointed on night one of the clinic. The group of individuals that filled the room, all experiences and levels, were warm and inviting. The coach was enthusiastic and very approachable. We had a fairly intense workout, which included a warm-up run, dynamic stretches and then 8 X 60 second sprints. Well the first one I started off HARD and 20 seconds in I thought, I HAVE TO STOP, I AM RUNNING OUT OF FUEL. I didn’t stop because the beauty of running in a group is that you aren’t going to be the one that stops! I did learn to start off a little bit slower and to build my speed as the minute went on. Also I found people in the group that ran a similar pace and kept up with them. It’s awesome to do that because it’s extremely motivating and keeps you from letting yourself off the hook too quickly, forcing your body to adapt and push through.
Here is what week #1 looked like:
Monday- clinic
Tuesday- Cross-training, Shred by Jillian Michaels, Level 2 (this is an awesome at home workout that’s total body in 20 minutes; it also has three levels depending on your current fitness level)
Wednesday- 6km run (so sore)
Thursday- 6km run (race pace) on the treadmill
Friday- 5km run
Saturday- 10km slow run
Sunday- yoga/recovery day
Mid-week I was really doubting my decision and feeling discouraged but by Thursday evening my legs felt better and I could see the end of week #1 in sight. My running buddy and I finished the last run for the week early this morning and we felt pretty darn good.
If you are thinking about taking up running here is a link for a couch to 5K training program. If you are currently interested in pursuing a 10K training schedule you can find a free one here. If you have a current fitness goal that you are working towards please feel free to share.
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| 2008 Victoria, B.C. 1st half-marathon; 2:10:00 |
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| 2013 Bridge City Boogie 10Kwith some awesome ladies and the best little cheerleaders in the world. Personal Best 57:06. |
Way to go! Just the other day a co-worker/friend asked if I wanted to run a 10k with her this summer. I have only ran a 5k before so I reluctantly agreed. I will be coming to you for some motivation in the next few months!
ReplyDeleteGreat news Kendra! That's so awesome. What race are you thinking of doing? A 10K is no small task, I'll tell you, but you'll crush it. A few years ago I started running with a friend, prior to that I did it completely on my own, and having someone to be accountable to makes a world of difference. You will not let that person down nearly as easily as yourself. If you are tired, busy, overwhelmed, you generally still get out for a run if you've committed to another person. I can't wait to hear about your training plans and call on me anytime. So excited for you guys!!!!
DeleteI'm not sure what run we will do yet… we need to do our research! What's your favourite? I did the mogaton and river run last year and those were lots of fun (Just 5k thought!)
DeleteI always did the Boogie, which no longer exists, and I try to do the Terry Fox because I like the cause and also the expense is what you want to donate usually (though there is a minimum). I've also did the Mogathon a few years ago and that was a blast. I don't do a lot of organized races because they are pricey and I always want to beat my previous time, LOL. I do run with Brainsport running club on Saturday mornings, free, so if you gals ever want to join in let me know. The run I would really like to do this year is the Outdoor Limits run in Waskesiu in the fall. I think that would be an awesome girls weekend. ????? :) Here is a link to some other runs they have in and around the city.
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Way to go, Bo! I am feeling like I should be more motivated to start running again, but I just am not feeling it. I like what you said about "the right time". I am going to cut myself some slack. I have only been back to work a month. I am going to get a rhythm going at home and hopefully by the spring I will feel like it is the right time to get going.
ReplyDeleteJordan, you do need to cut yourself some slack. Why are we always so hard on ourselves? Honestly, I haven't done any races in the last few years because I just didn't have the time to commit to training to achieve the goals I knew I wanted to reach. I did workout, because that's how I deal with most of my emotions, but to a level that I could handle. The other thing about it being "the right time", isn't always about us, but it has to be "the right time" for our kids and our husbands. Logan and I talked about this before I signed up, the early mornings, him getting the kids going on his own in the morning, me feeling exhausted in the evenings when it's our time to chill, etc. You will find your groove but you are a loving mother with three little ones, you have a HARD job, and I mean you are an awesome wife to Hugh.
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