where there's a will, there's some kinda way...

ahhh...so uh....yeah, there's this half marathon that i'm running this coming Saturday. And as has occurred in the past (and curiously I have yet to learn from the humiliation of having a finish time that could easily be miscontrued as a marathon finish time for someone who doesn't know me) I am undertrained for it!

That being said, I've made the most of the past 4 weeks, pretty much, and managed to get in 3 to 4 runs each week, including a progressively longer "long run" each week: 3m; 5m (4.96/8k); 7m; and 10m. None of the runs over 3m have been anywhere close to my original base 12:00 pace, but whatever. And going from 0 miles to this kind of increase is certainly inadvisable, but the alternative is giving up all together, and ya know what? i'm just not gonna do that.

I will run the upcoming Illinois Half Marathon and finish it. I should be able to beat my absolute worst time, which rings in at 3:30:38, the Seattle Rock n Roll Half Marathon when I walked the entire last 9 miles, except the .1 to the finish line. Yep. Sure did. And then I'm looking forward to taking my training more seriously, with my next distance run being 4 weeks later at the Soldier Field 10-mile, where I hope to be up to speed running side-by-side with my cheerleader who zoomed past me yesterday during the first 5 miles of my "shuffle" yesterday. He kicked ASS on his longest run to date. it's an interested dichotomy of feelings to be so happy for someone else when you're somewhat disappointed in yourself. He left me with parting words "just keep going, stop telling yourself you can't" and it really did make the second half of my run go better. Rather than looking at how many miles left, I just looked at the next block, the next fire hydrant, the next.... Anyhoooooo

By my next half marathon, I'll truly be back on top of my game. I'd like to never re-visit this undertrained/underprepared version of me again. Really. it's old and tired, and I'm getting that way, too.

**************************

You're never too old to change your trajectory...i wanna be that 60 year old running races because that's what i love to do. and not racing against anyone's clock but my own. That being said, i can do better than this. i proved that last summer.

2013 Running Goals

*This race goal: FINISH under 3:30. (side eye glance)

*Soldier Field 10-Mile: 12:00 pace and/or with my racing partner

*Chicago Rock n Roll Half Marathon (July) goal: 11:30 to 12:00 pace *Madison "mini marathon" Half Marathon (August) goal: 11:15 to 11:45 pace

*Chicago Half Marathon (September) goal: 10:45 to 11:15 pace

*Yet-to-be-determined Half Marathon (fall) goal: 10:45 pace

How?

*maintain adequate running/training schedule, including 1 run as speed session and strength training

*garbage in, garbage out (eat like you're training-limit the junk/heavier foods) and let the weight go away (again)

*daily positive affirmations (i started doing this and drifted. training your mind for this is as important as physical training) YOU ARE WHO YOU TELL YOURSELF YOU ARE. (you can quote me on that.)

--end of a run-on post--