I'm on a mission

A system down

Ok, so after my attempt at run group 5/3, I came down with a NASTY head cold - one that had me doing nothing from Sun to Wed.

The whole week was a bust, except for some pool time on Friday.

Then came Saturday's run on 5/10.  I woke up extra congested, and decided that there was no need to make myself even sicker.  The temperature was in the 40s.

Good decision.  I got on my new road bike with toe clips instead.  After bouncing off the asphalt 3 times, I stopped.

Another thing to conquer.

Today I feel much better, and will get in my maintenance runs as well as my cross-trainings (2 of each).  This Saturday will be the all-important pace run, so hopefully I'll be able to run fast enough to be in this half-marathon!

That was a disaster

Ok, today was my first group training for my half-marathon.

It was awful.  For me.  Luckily, there wasn't any rain.  It was cold and windy, and we stood around for a long time before they got us started.

I was easily the oldest one there.  However, everyone was very friendly, and I met many others who have never run, may have just started running, and most certainly have never done a half-marathon.

Today, we were to run one easy mile, untimed.

Well, my left calf froze up like a stiff board.  The right one had a cramp in the right side.  Needless to say, I didn't run at speed - I barely finished!  So much for the tri-girl.  I am so disappointed right now.

In fact, I'm fighting off berating myself and trying not to flirt with quitting.  So, I put all my training into my calendar, and tomorrow, I will be doing my 40 min cross training - I plan to bike and swim - and I will put everything I have into Mon and Wed 45 min runs.

Grrrr.  I will make this my own, and finish that 13.1 miles.  So there.

First steps

It begins.

You know, a journey of a thousand miles, etc.  I'll be taking loads more steps as I start running as I'm training for the half marathon in September.

Welcome to everyone who stopped by to read.  Hi Soozn!  Hey, CL!  Hiya swimming gals, A and T! (Yes, I at first had your initials swapped....!)  Glad to see you Coach Jo!  I hope I'll keep this interesting enough that you will come back here occasionally.  CL, to the left there is a weekly chart of my exercise  so you can skip any verbosity and get right to it.  The rest of you are welcome to view it as well!

Saturday was the orientation meeting.  Soozn wisely encouraged me to go after I said I was hesitant due to the fact I in no way look like a runner.  Fitness doesn't have a size or look, she reminded me. It was a couple of hours of housekeeping information(fund raising deadlines, training start and location), advice on equipment (get a good shoe, dummy), and a really good session on injury prevention (stretch and strengthen).

Which brings me to my first bit of research - how to carry water/food with you during the race.  For now, which will work at short mileages, I have this.  However, that may not be enough for race day.  I'm not sure I want to wear a belt, so I'll have to research alternatives.  I know there's a camelpack out there too.  Have any suggestions?  Leave them in the comments.

So, as I look forward to Saturday and my first group training, I point you down to a post I made in another time, four years ago when I started to train for my first triathlon.  I made it all a reality except for the volleyball!

Till we run into each other again.