I’ll begin with a confession: I’ve really slacked off in the last month since the Holland Hundred. I wasn’t running a whole lot before then either, but I could at least say I was training for a 70 mile bike ride. I had basically stopped working out altogether, and now it shows.
I had made a pact with a friend a few months ago while running to a soccer game that we would do the Park2Park Half Marathon in town on September 24. It seemed like a worthwhile goal after doing the 10K in the River Bank Run, and I had told myself back in June that I’d do lots of running and that training for this race would be relatively easy.
Training, however, has not been happening, and with my friend holding me to my side of the deal, I need to get ready for a half marathon about as quickly as I safely can. My goal isn’t necessarily to do this race in a specific amount of time; like the Miracle Run in July, my goal is just to finish. Next year is about being faster. I’ll admit, my training plan (below) is a bit ambitious, and if I wind up injuring myself in the process there will be no half marathon for me, but it could work…
Week 1: Aug 22-28
Monday – 3 miles
Tuesday – 4 miles (post-soccer game)
Wednesday – 6 miles
Thursday – rest day (Thrifty Thursdays at the Whitecaps!)
Friday – 3 miles
Saturday – 8 miles
Sunday – 3 miles
Week 2: Aug 29-Sep 4
Monday – 3 miles
Tuesday – rest day (soccer game)
Wednesday – 8 miles
Thursday – 3 miles
Friday – 3 miles
Saturday – 9 miles
Sunday – rest day
Week 3: Sep 5-10
Monday – 3 miles
Tuesday – rest day (soccer game)
Wednesday – 9 miles
Thursday – 3 miles
Friday – 3 miles
Saturday – 10 miles
Sunday – rest day
Week 4: Sep 11-16
Monday – 3 miles
Tuesday – 4 miles (post-soccer game)
Wednesday – 10 miles
Thursday – 4 miles
Friday – 4 miles
Saturday – 12 miles
Sunday – 2 miles
Week 5: Sep 17-24
Monday – 3 miles
Tuesday – rest day (soccer game)
Wednesday – 6 miles
Thursday – 3 miles
Friday – 2 miles
Saturday – 13.1 miles
Based on my training experience for the Holland Hundred this year, I could probably run a lot less than I have set on the calendar now, but I’m hoping that running more frequently will help keep me disciplined, and maybe I’ll get a little faster as a result. Speed and stamina are two (of the many, many) things I need to work on for soccer, and while distance running won’t help with my speed, I’m hoping it will help with my stamina. And with almost 150 planned miles in the next 5 weeks, I might lose a little weight too. Wish me luck!
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