I hate running in the winter. There isn't anything I enjoy about being terrified that every wet patch on the sidewalk might be black ice, or that it can take 4 hours to finally start feeling warm after running outside in the cold.
Winter running is exactly why I didn't want to sign up for a spring race. I was miserable training for the DC Rock 'n' Roll Half last year. I don't know what I was thinking when I signed up for Blue Ridge. Actually, I do. I thought..."the race is a whole month after DC Rock 'n ' Roll was! It won't be that bad!
When temperatures are in the teens and the wind chill is in the single digits, I'm not heading outside. That's exactly what it was like this weekend. We got an inch of snow on Saturday morning and I woke up yesterday to another 4 inches of snow on the ground. I tried to run this weekend. I really did, but it was so cold outside and I don't have access to a gym (which needs to change soon), and I just couldn't do it. Here's what the week did look like:
Monday: 40 minutes of yoga
Tuesday: 3 mile treadmill workout; 40 minutes of yoga. I don't think I've done a prescribed running workout since I got hurt way back in 2013. This workout wasn't easy at all but I felt better afterward than I've felt in ages. Running workouts are so hard, but they make you feel so good and I've missed them! THIS is why I signed up for Blue Ridge...to bring back that feeling that a tough workout gives you. I ran at lunch time and practiced yoga much later in the evening. I was tied and really didn't want to get on the mat, but it was a good practice and I feel like I'm finally getting stronger in the Warrior poses and that maybe my heels are getting a little closer to the ground in downward facing dog.
Wednesday: 30 minutes of yoga. This was such a busy day. Between work, an off site training, fitting in Ash Wednesday Mass and drinks with a friend, I didn't get home until 9. By the time The Pilot and I got off the phone, it was 10 pm before I started practice. I'm finding it so much harder to make time for practice this second time around, but I'm doing it!
Thursday: Despite practicing at 10 pm Wednesday, I was up early to practice before work this morning since I knew I wouldn't fit it in later in the day. I was supposed to run, but I knew I wouldn't fit that in, so I don't really consider it a missed run.
Friday: 40 minutes of yoga; 3 mile run. It was cold outside but I knew it was going to be even colder for the weekend so I sucked it up and headed out.
Saturday: 35 minutes of yoga. Excellent practice.
Sunday: 30 minutes of yoga; 1 mile run. This was supposed to be a 5 mile run. I woke up, checked the hourly forecast, and decided to put my run off to 4 pm, when the temperature would be a balmy 23 degrees with a wind chill of 17 (compared with 13 and 4) but when it came time to run, I just couldn't do it. I headed out and I was so, so cold. It was icy and I was cold and after half a mile, I gave up.
I'm not happy with the way this week went running wise. I had an awesome hill workout and yoga is going great, but this week was supposed to kick off Blue Ridge training. I was planning to give myself 10 weeks to train for this race, but I've always trained for the half distance with 8 weeks, so I'm not giving up just yet.
It's supposed to be warmer in DC this week, so the plan is to at least get in a hill workout and a 5 mile run. If I can get those runs in, I'll kick off Week 1 of an 8 week training plan next week. We'll see.
Winter running is exactly why I didn't want to sign up for a spring race. I was miserable training for the DC Rock 'n' Roll Half last year. I don't know what I was thinking when I signed up for Blue Ridge. Actually, I do. I thought..."the race is a whole month after DC Rock 'n ' Roll was! It won't be that bad!
When temperatures are in the teens and the wind chill is in the single digits, I'm not heading outside. That's exactly what it was like this weekend. We got an inch of snow on Saturday morning and I woke up yesterday to another 4 inches of snow on the ground. I tried to run this weekend. I really did, but it was so cold outside and I don't have access to a gym (which needs to change soon), and I just couldn't do it. Here's what the week did look like:
Monday: 40 minutes of yoga
Tuesday: 3 mile treadmill workout; 40 minutes of yoga. I don't think I've done a prescribed running workout since I got hurt way back in 2013. This workout wasn't easy at all but I felt better afterward than I've felt in ages. Running workouts are so hard, but they make you feel so good and I've missed them! THIS is why I signed up for Blue Ridge...to bring back that feeling that a tough workout gives you. I ran at lunch time and practiced yoga much later in the evening. I was tied and really didn't want to get on the mat, but it was a good practice and I feel like I'm finally getting stronger in the Warrior poses and that maybe my heels are getting a little closer to the ground in downward facing dog.
Wednesday: 30 minutes of yoga. This was such a busy day. Between work, an off site training, fitting in Ash Wednesday Mass and drinks with a friend, I didn't get home until 9. By the time The Pilot and I got off the phone, it was 10 pm before I started practice. I'm finding it so much harder to make time for practice this second time around, but I'm doing it!
Thursday: Despite practicing at 10 pm Wednesday, I was up early to practice before work this morning since I knew I wouldn't fit it in later in the day. I was supposed to run, but I knew I wouldn't fit that in, so I don't really consider it a missed run.
Friday: 40 minutes of yoga; 3 mile run. It was cold outside but I knew it was going to be even colder for the weekend so I sucked it up and headed out.
Saturday: 35 minutes of yoga. Excellent practice.
Sunday: 30 minutes of yoga; 1 mile run. This was supposed to be a 5 mile run. I woke up, checked the hourly forecast, and decided to put my run off to 4 pm, when the temperature would be a balmy 23 degrees with a wind chill of 17 (compared with 13 and 4) but when it came time to run, I just couldn't do it. I headed out and I was so, so cold. It was icy and I was cold and after half a mile, I gave up.
I'm not happy with the way this week went running wise. I had an awesome hill workout and yoga is going great, but this week was supposed to kick off Blue Ridge training. I was planning to give myself 10 weeks to train for this race, but I've always trained for the half distance with 8 weeks, so I'm not giving up just yet.
It's supposed to be warmer in DC this week, so the plan is to at least get in a hill workout and a 5 mile run. If I can get those runs in, I'll kick off Week 1 of an 8 week training plan next week. We'll see.
How do you feel about running in the cold?
I don't mind the treadmill, but I just don't have access to one.
How long do you usually train for a half marathon?
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