Planes, Trains, and Running Shoes

It's been over a month since my last Weekly Workouts post. I ran once in San Francisco and only one other time during the rest of the month of April. I came back from that trip jet lagged for what felt like two weeks, and then the three-week stretch of rain kicked in and it didn't do anything to motivate me to get outside.

While I haven't been working out, I have a lot to update on. I'm not running the San Francisco Marathon. When I decided to run that and start training, I was already a week into when I should have started training and I really just wasn't mentally prepared to commit to training for another marathon. That and the fact that my sister might not be in San Francisco that week led me to change my mind. I hadn't even signed up yet, so I'm not really missing out. Maybe next year.

My training for the Chicago Marathon was terrible. I had no motivation at all. There were weeks when I wouldn't do any run other than my long run, and then weeks when I would just skip my long run altogether. My time on the course, almost an entire hour slower than my best marathon (and 30 minutes slower than my worst), was evidence of poor training.

It took my almost 3 years to get back into running after I first got sidelined with ITB issues and I lost my motivation to run during that time. This year, I'm determined to get it back.

I'm heading to Vancouver this summer to run the SeaWheeze Half. Last week, they put out a 14-week training plan for the race and I decided to check it out. It's perfect for me. This will be the longest I've ever trained for a Half but the training plan is just what I need right now. Last week was the first week of the training plan, and my long run was 6km or just shy of 4 miles. (The race is in Canada, after all). This isn't the training plan for the seasoned runner who does 5 half-marathons in a year, the runner I used to be. I came back from injury three times. The first time, I dove into a 10-week half training plan and my knee gave out during mile 8 of the race. The second time, shortly after, I went into an 8-week plan and I had to drop out of the race 5 miles in. Then, I ran Chicago.

This training plan is too long for me to really feel like I'm training right now, and the distances are short enough that I feel like I'm slowly easing back into it, but it gives me a schedule and it reflects where I am now, rather than where I want to be, and that's exactly what I need. I might never get back to running 3 marathons and 5 half-marathons a year (nor do I think I want to) , but I want to get back in the kind of shape where I can say, "Oh, there's a Half next weekend, let me sign up!" or "Sure! I'll run your 15-mile run with you. I'm not training for anything but why not?"

I think that this training plan for SeaWheeze will get me there. I had an awesome first week of training last week. I think I'm moving in the right direction, I just need to stay committed. Here's what last week looked like:

Monday: 3 miles, easy with The Pilot

Tuesday: 40-minutes of yoga at home, using the SeaWheeze yoga video

Wednesday: 3 miles with 4 30-second strides (and my fastest mile according to my new Garmin!)

Thursday: 45 minute spin at Biker Barre. Awesome class, awesome playlist! I really thought of skipping this and taking Thursday as a Rest Day instead of Friday, but I 'm so glad I didn't. I ran into one of my friends at class and it was a great class!

Friday: Rest Day

Saturday: "Long" Run of 3.5 miles. I had a pretty terrible run. My legs were not moving. I felt like I was running through molasses and I felt sore and achy all over. I don't think I stretched enough after Thursday's spin.

Sunday: 2 easy, shakeout miles plus 40-minutes of yoga at home

Mileage Total: 11.5

There's the week! I feel good about this. I've already gotten a solid start to this week's training, which of course, I'll recap next week!