Training Update

One month to go!

Half marathon training has been going really well. I have been running four days a week and have had the privilege of working with a trainer online. I "met" Mari through a moms' forum, and at some point running came up. She herself is an accomplished marathoner and is currently training to run an Ultra Marathon (50K). She offered to give me free advice, and I'm gladly taking it! Each week I check in with her, at which point we discuss my progress and she gives me a workout plan for the week.

Last week's workout plan looked like this:
Monday -- 4 miles at race pace with a sprint for the last .25 mile
Tuesday -- treadmilll work -- 30 minutes with speed/hill intervals
Wednesday -- teach aerobics class
Thursday -- 6 miles at race pace with a sprint for the last .25 mile
Friday -- off
Saturday -- 10 miles
Sunday -- off

I love having someone guide me, because I feel like each workout has a point. No run is wasteful, they all serve a purpose. The runs "at race pace" are called "tempo" runs -- they should be at my goal pace that I want to maintain at the race, or even a little faster. The sprint at the end prepares me for kicking it into high gear when I see the race line on finish day. The speed/hill interval workout prepares me for hills, obviously, and helps make me faster overall. The long run increases my endurance and is considered the most important of all runs.

I have enjoyed the training so much. I am no longer running because I feel like I "should" exercise, but because I want to run. I have shifted my focus from calorie counting to seeing how fast and how far I can go. I feel challenged, motivated, and a little bit like a rock star when I run.

And that's what's happening on Boomerang Drive!

-- Holly