Half Training - Day 10 of 35. B&B Smoothie

Today is a rest/cross train day for my half training. I am 10 days into my 35 day training plan. I can't believe that it is only 35 day training plan. I don't like putting it that way.

Maybe this will sound better: I am into the beginning of my 2nd week of my 5 week Half training plan.

That sounds better!

Anyways, today was the cross train and I thought I would just get out and take a few laps around the local high school track again. I think what is key for me for this Half is to get the endurance built back up. I'm not too worried about speed/time because I am not expecting to have a great time. I have my own goals in my head and I won't be announcing those, but this is my very first Half-Marathon so anything will be a PR!

I know it's not cross training to go out and get some more miles, but it worked today. I ended up doing 2 3/4 miles at 10'15" pace.

I came home to find that my pregnant wife had made some oatmeal cookies. I had one - and they were the best oatmeal cookies that she has ever made! But I limited it to one because I needed my recovery drink. I am not a pretty picture take when it comes to drinks or food - so you get the aerial view of my Berry & Banana Smoothie!






Mixed Berry & Banana Smoothie


Frozen Mixed Berries
1 Medium Banana
Plain Yogurt
Agava Nectar
Skim Milk
(optional: spoonful of vanilla ice cream)

Confession and some confidence

Confession.

It has been difficult to get where I was in my running program. I guess I can't say that I had a program begin with. I am more of an amateur runner and would just run to run - in fact us amateurs pay to run in a race just to finish it. Anyways, it's been difficult. This week I have struggled with the commitment I've made to run a half-marathon in just five weeks. Granted, if I was a brand new runner and not conditioned for long distances in the least bit - I wouldn't have chosen such a date so close. This race though is not going to be crowded, it's cheap (only $30), and it sounds like good race swag.

Tonight was a confidence booster though. I'm a youth minister and sometimes part of my job consists of youth events, like lock-ins. We had one Friday night up until this morning. I was beat. I tried to sleep but of course when you need the best sleep - everything prevents it. That was true today. I kept falling asleep all day just to be awakened by something else. With all that said, I still found it in me to go get my long run in tonight at 9:30pm in the dark. I didn't run all of it but ran 4/5 of it at an okay pace. I did it though - I followed through again and that definitely built my confidence up.

That's what I needed

Gettin it back.

I'm gonna go run on the track tonight again. Today is suppose to be a rest/cross train day, but yesterday I went out of town and on my way back had lots of car trouble. Not fun. An hour trip took nearly 2 1/2 hours. This really isn't the best timing for that car to go out, but we've always been taking care of when things seem out of control so I'm going to stay focused on things I can control... like running.

I actually set my alarm to a time before 6 am this morning so that I could get the missed run in before work today - but I didn't get up until 6:45am. Bummer. Oh well. I think a lot of people stress out when they miss a run, but missing a run is not the end of the world. Yes, you might feel bad, lazy, and/or bummed that you didn't get to go out - but that rest also may be the thing that you needed.

I'm glad I am back in the swing of running, eating right, and blogging - I think I might have missed this.

Run. Rest. Basketball. Evaluate. Run. Pleasure. Pumpkin Spice.

Yesterday was day two of my training and it was a 3 mile easy run. I decided to do the run at the track in the evening - 7:30pm when it's cooler [80 degrees]. I haven't run on a track very much at all. While I found the running not to be that bad, it was completely monotonous. I found it hard to keep track of lap count. Anyhow, I completed my run and could see a storm coming in the distance, it was pretty cool to see the lightening just in the clouds.

I came home and ate a wonderful Berry Banana Smoothie - so good. Bananas are good for muscles and cramps right?!

I woke myself, and my wife, up in pain due to a killer calf cramp. It was a painful one. Luckily, today is a Rest/XT day in the half-marathon training program. It has felt better as the day continues.

With a sore leg and a busy mind due to an evaluation tonight from my employers - I needed something to get my mind focused and my leg stretched out.

Our local community center has a gym and it is cost-free so I went down and played some basketball for about an 1 1/2 hours or more to give my leg some stretching. Tomorrow is another 3 miler and I think my leg will be fine. I will do plenty of stretching before and after the run. I find it so much easier to do what needs to get done, in terms of working out and such, when there is a goal that you're shooting for.

I like runs that have the sole purpose of pleasure, but having something that you are aiming for really kicks you in gear.

After my evaluation - I'm gonna come home and my wife is going to make me a Pumpkin Spice latte - I'm so ready for it now!

Take care!

Sept 24. 2011. Half Marathon is Happenin

So, I've committed to doing a Half Marathon which is on September 24th, 2011 in Fort Scott, Kansas.

This will be my first half-marathon and it's kind of crazy to think about because I haven't really been training. I have increased my activity by a great amount, except for vacation last week :/

I've gone on a few runs and have been playing ball at the local community center. It's good to be back in it - the physical activity of everything anyways.

That Half-marathon is just 5 weeks away. That means in 5 weeks I will be running 13.1 miles. To be honest, I don't know if I'll run all 13.1 miles of it, probably not, but I will be able to check that off of my list of things that I wanted to accomplish this year.

It is the 1st half marathon that this place will be putting on so I am unsure of what to expect. It is a gradual downhill run except for the hill at the finish. So, we'll run downhill for quite some time, probably won't even realize we are, and then climb back up it at the finish. I have modified a Runner's World half training program to make it work during this short training period. I have been running for some time now that I think this will work for me. I'm not running for time, especially since I have not been training for a long time for it, but to finish. I have 3 hours to finish the 13.1 miles - so my goal is to finish.

If you think about it - how many people can really say that they have ocmpleted a Half-Marathon?

I can't yet, but hope to be able to soon.

Here's my plan:

Running Playlist

Two days in a row of blogging?!! 28 more and it's a habit right!

I went out and tackled the Missouri 95 degree weather (heat index 103), of course with my Imitation camelback. It was hot and I walked probably half of it, but it was nice not worrying about distance! I just went to get healthier. Besides that, I wanted to include my running playlist today below.

The Almost - 'Monster Monster'
Lyricist - 'Money' (this guy has sold out on his new stuff)
For Today - 'Never Lose Sight'
The Almost - 'Stop It'
LeCrae - ''Walking on Water'
Group 1crew - 'Lean on Me'
LeCrae - 'Transfomers'
TFK - 'Rawkfist'
Group1Crew - 'love is a beautiful thing'
Switchfoot - 'Mess of Me'
Flame - 'Move'
Trip Lee - 'The Invasion'

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K7piEIaJvIo&feature=youtube_gdata_player

Check these out if you have time!