Happy New Year! We're nearing the teens of the 21st century, how bizarre is that? I hope they don't talk back and stomp to their rooms and slam the door. The 90's never treated us that way!
So anyway...today began my third week of training for the half-marathon in March. It's been going pretty well, with one or two workouts missed due to holiday travel. Last Friday, Casey, Miles and I traveled in our van for 12 hours from my folks' house to our house. My plan, though I wasn't excited about it, was to attempt my four-mile walk the next day. If the van travel wasn't tiring enough, my cedar pollen allergies had been on the attack for more than a week, to the point that my eyes were pouring water and my nose wouldn't stop running when I woke up on Saturday morning. I took a daytime allergy medicine but it made me a little woozy. At three o'clock I said, "Case, I just don't think I can do it!" Oh yeah, did I mention it was cold? And that I hate the cold?
Casey proceeded to look up the weather forecast and let me know that, even though Saturday's temperature was in the upper 20's with the wind chill, Sunday would be cloudy and a little colder. Not good. I decided to rest for 20 minutes (I totally passed out) and at 3:20 p.m., Casey woke me up so I could get started. It took all my willpower and determination to get up and get moving.
I drove to the nearby (awesome) walk park with the mindset that I would do as much as I could. Like...maybe two miles. Then I thought, 'But I walked three miles a week ago!' The problem was it was so cold! But with my walking playlist chock full of motivating tunes, I set off and tried to ignore my frozen nose. After the first mile I thought that maybe I would make it to two miles and go home. But I hated thinking that I wouldn't do it all. So I kept on trucking...By the time I got to three miles, I knew I was going to finish no matter what. I continued to ignore my cold nose and ears and sore legs. As I neared four miles, the last song was about to come on. I needed something good. Then I heard will.i.am's 'It's a New Day' start up and I was able to pick up the pace to finish strong.
I did my walk in just under an hour. The sun had started going down by the end, and even though I'd walked enough to warm up, the cold had seeped into my every pore. I was so glad to be done. At the same time though, I felt so good and renewed and refreshed. It's still hard for me to imagine walking that half-marathon in March, but at least I'm on my way.
I checked my status with my Nike + iPod kit, and I've covered more than 17 miles in just over two weeks, and that doesn't even count my cross-training workout days. I had a kind of letdown workout today, falling short of the required time. I plan on making it up though. Ruth (who has been leading the charge on this training) has been a great motivation, even all the way from West Texas!
So anyway...today began my third week of training for the half-marathon in March. It's been going pretty well, with one or two workouts missed due to holiday travel. Last Friday, Casey, Miles and I traveled in our van for 12 hours from my folks' house to our house. My plan, though I wasn't excited about it, was to attempt my four-mile walk the next day. If the van travel wasn't tiring enough, my cedar pollen allergies had been on the attack for more than a week, to the point that my eyes were pouring water and my nose wouldn't stop running when I woke up on Saturday morning. I took a daytime allergy medicine but it made me a little woozy. At three o'clock I said, "Case, I just don't think I can do it!" Oh yeah, did I mention it was cold? And that I hate the cold?
Casey proceeded to look up the weather forecast and let me know that, even though Saturday's temperature was in the upper 20's with the wind chill, Sunday would be cloudy and a little colder. Not good. I decided to rest for 20 minutes (I totally passed out) and at 3:20 p.m., Casey woke me up so I could get started. It took all my willpower and determination to get up and get moving.
I drove to the nearby (awesome) walk park with the mindset that I would do as much as I could. Like...maybe two miles. Then I thought, 'But I walked three miles a week ago!' The problem was it was so cold! But with my walking playlist chock full of motivating tunes, I set off and tried to ignore my frozen nose. After the first mile I thought that maybe I would make it to two miles and go home. But I hated thinking that I wouldn't do it all. So I kept on trucking...By the time I got to three miles, I knew I was going to finish no matter what. I continued to ignore my cold nose and ears and sore legs. As I neared four miles, the last song was about to come on. I needed something good. Then I heard will.i.am's 'It's a New Day' start up and I was able to pick up the pace to finish strong.
I did my walk in just under an hour. The sun had started going down by the end, and even though I'd walked enough to warm up, the cold had seeped into my every pore. I was so glad to be done. At the same time though, I felt so good and renewed and refreshed. It's still hard for me to imagine walking that half-marathon in March, but at least I'm on my way.
I checked my status with my Nike + iPod kit, and I've covered more than 17 miles in just over two weeks, and that doesn't even count my cross-training workout days. I had a kind of letdown workout today, falling short of the required time. I plan on making it up though. Ruth (who has been leading the charge on this training) has been a great motivation, even all the way from West Texas!
4 comments:
I am in awe of your stamina and dedication! Seriously I am! :) I know you'll be in shape for the marathon. Be sure to give yourself a little extra pampering as a reward for your hard work.
Thanks so much Lori! I don't think I could be as motivated unless I knew there were so many other women doing this at the same time, even if in another state!
Also...of course I'm rewarding myself! Vanilla latte. 'Nuff said. : )
Can you say treadmill-at-a-gym?
You've got to take care of that nose of yours. You can feel all warm on the inside from body heat and still have exposed skin experience damage. I trained for my marathon through the winter a few years ago and had to suck it up and do it on a treadmill when it dropped below freezing. As boring as it was running 20 miles and getting nowhere, I at least enjoyed the thrill of keeping my skin on my face!
Didn't mean to lecture, but it appears I did nonetheless. Aaron would say that is no surprise, but then I'd have to have a little chat with him for being so snide to his mother! :)
Christine ~ I certainly don't mind the lecture, and by the end of yesterday's shorter walk around the neighborhood I knew I would need to head to the gym next time. I'll probably be there for a while, especially on this Saturday's five-mile walk. As long as I have my tunes I can pretend I'm anywhere! : )
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