Week 12 Recap and RACE DAY!

Week 12 of 12 on the road to the Windward Half Marathon:

Training Log

Sunday: Stretch and Strength - Relaxing rest day.

Monday: 4 mile run -  This week is Tapering to get ready for the race.  Ran a fast 4 in Kailua.

Tuesday: Speed work - 30 minute tempo run - Back on the treadmill for a 3 mile run at 10 minute/mile pace.  Feels too easy after last week's training.

Wednesday: Rest day.

Thursday:  Rest day.

Friday:  3 mile run - Ran a fast 3 miles on my usual Kailua Beach park route.

Saturday:  Rest day.


Sunday:  RACE DAY!  Where do I begin to express all the emotions that came with this day.  I started out excited.  So fun to see everyone assembling for the race.  There were men and women of all ages, shapes and sizes.  We gathered at Kailua Intermediate School just as the first light of day was breaking.  I felt ready.  I had my ipod all programed with a new, up-beat playlist that I was sure would last longer than I needed to finish, vanilla GUs in my pocket, and a race outfit that would not malfunction. 

With timing chips strapped to our ankles, all the runners filled the street in front of the school.  At exactly 6:00 a.m., the gun went off and the herd surged ahead.  Knowing my tendency to go out too fast, I tried to stay to the side and let the crowd pass on by.  That's much harder than you'd think.  Everyone seems to be going at a great pace, why not stay with the pack?  As we wound our way through the Enchanted Lake neighborhood, the pack started to spread out and at the one mile marker, I checked my watch and found that I had done the first mile in just 10 minutes 21 seconds.  Too fast for this race.  I had to slow down.  But my ipod was pumping great tunes and my legs were fresh....  So hard to run my own race. 

Needless to say, I started paying for my fast start at about mile 6.   But I remembered this pain from my 11 and 12 mile runs, so I pressed on.  I knew that my second wind would kick in.  And it did.  Things were settling into a pretty good rhythm by mile 8. 

The hard part about this race course is that there is a long out-and-back section on the second half of the race.  I HATE out and backs.  With so many people passing me on the first half, they all run back at me on the second, giving me an "in your face" type of wake up call to my position in the pack.  It's a pride issue, I know, but there it is.  I will confess this right now.  I hate races for this reason.  I love to run and enjoy the challenge of the half marathon, but when I run in a race, I have to face the fact that I am very slow.  So, that means that I usually spend the second half of a race worrying about my time, berating myself for how slow I am, recounting all my training mistakes, and vowing never to do this again.  (It's kind of like having a baby.  The pregnancy is fine, but you never really remember the pain of the birth until you're in the middle of it again.)

For whatever reason, I started having knee pain.  I pressed on.  I got water at every aid station, and sucked down my GUs.  By about mile 10, I was ready to be finished.  My hips hurt, my calves were starting to threaten cramps, and I was very discouraged.  As I did on the previous Saturday run, I had to stop looking at my watch and forget all the people around me.  Again, I started a gratitude list: the beautiful morning, the clouds over the mountains, and the blessing of a healthy body (no matter how much it hurt at the moment).  That helped.  I ran as much as I could the last three miles, but walked more than I wanted to.  I just needed to finish.  One thing I kept telling myself was, "Run your own race, run your own race..." 

As I came down the last stretch of the race, there was my family, cheering me on towards the finish line.  Now there was something for the gratitude list.  They had gotten up with me at 5:00 a.m. and had been hanging around for over 2 hours while I ran.  They never looked better to me than they did at that moment.  Their encouragement gave me the strength to run all the way across the finish line with the last song of my playlist ringing in my ears.  Done!

I'm happy on the inside...

It's been three days since the race and I'm still recovering.  I was so sore that I knew I must have given my all.  That makes finishing 311th out of 325 finishers easier to take.  Will I run this race again?  Well, I know I'll run 13.1 miles, but it may just be me and my ipod...

enjoying the run!



Week 11 Recap

How can I be discouraged when I run in this neighborhood?!

Week 11 of 12 on the road to the Windward Half Marathon:

Training Log

Sunday: Stretch and Strength - Relaxing rest day.

Monday: 5 mile run -  Finally, a faster run on my Monday 5 miler!  Two minutes faster! YAY!

Tuesday: Speed work - 10 x 400 5K pace - I am so tired of the treadmill.  I decided to take this run to the street and run Lanikai Loop as fast as I could.  Did a 10 minute pace - my fastest pace!  Change of scenery is always good!

Wednesday: 3 mile run and strength - Just like last week, not able to work this run in. Switched my run/rest with Thursday.

Thursday: Rest day - Liked the Lanikai run so much, I did it again!  Same time!

Friday:  3 mile pace - After pushing so much on Tuesday and Thursday, I ran a bit slower today, but got it done!

Saturday: 12 mile run - After last Saturday's disappointing long run, I was eager to make up time on this run.  I started out alright, but about 5 miles in, my legs wanted to quit.  Such a head game on these long runs.  I kept looking at my watch and getting discouraged, so I decided to "forget" the time.  I changed my watch back from the chronometer to the time of day.  I realized that I was not "enjoying the run!"  My mind was sabotaging my efforts.  So I told my self that this was just a great morning to be out running in the most beautiful place on earth.  I started using my eyes and ears to really notice what was around.  I began listing things to be grateful for, from the smallest cooling breeze, to a heart and lungs that functioned amazingly enough for me to run.  That changed everything. Yes, my legs still hurt, but I wasn't obsessed with my time.  Every time my body said "you'll never make it back to the car!" I would add more things to my gratitude list.

With less than a mile back to the car, I switched my watch back to the chronometer, ready to face the damage.  To my amazement, I was way ahead of last week's time.  Then the euphoria kicked in.  I was so excited!  That last mile was tough, but the discouragement was gone.  I finished only 2 minutes behind my 11 mile run last week!

The best thing about this week:   I'm starting to see the light at the end of the tunnel. This was a faster week, and that was encouraging.

The biggest challenge of this week:   Getting control of my thinking during the long run.  I know this will be a challenge during the race.  I'm glad I found a few ways to deal with the rebellion of my body!


One more week until race day! 

Week 9 Recap

Photo Credit:  Gregor Murray

Week 9 of 12 on the road to the Windward Half Marathon:

Training Log

Sunday: Stretch and Strength - Relaxing rest day.

Monday: 5 mile run -  Beautiful and quiet morning in Kailua.  Summer is over so all the kids are in school.  Had to run early before the first day of our homeschooling year.

Tuesday: Speed work - 9 x 400 at 5K pace - Decided that this was the time to push the speed.  Ran a mile at 10 minute pace, then ran 1/2 mile at 10 minute pace then ran two 1/4 miles at 10 minute pace.  Did the last 1/4 mile in under 10 minute pace.  Felt great to push myself, but definitely paid for it later.

Wednesday: 3 mile run and strength - Just like last week, I switched Wednesday's 3 mile run with a rest day.  Schedule was too crazy.

Thursday: Rest day - Got back to running the Mokulele Drive hill.  It always amazes me how I can run 10 miles on Saturday, but this 3 mile run with a huge hill makes me feel like a chain smoker!  My lungs just burn on that hill!  Humbling.

Friday:  Rest day - Since the schedule has me running a "15-K Race" on Saturday, they allowed for an extra rest day today.  I gladly took it.  The first week of school here at home made for an adjustment to the schedule.  Can I really do this?!

Saturday:  15-K Race - I didn't have an official race to participate in, so I just ran the 9.3 mile track I  ran a couple of weeks ago.  This was a really hard run.  I guess with too much rest, and too little sleep the night before I struggled from mile 5 on.  Thankfully, I had 2 GU packs with me to help me make it back to the car.

The best thing about this week:   Was glad to have the extra rest day in the schedule this week.

The biggest challenge of this week:   I've noticed that with the added miles, my running gear is more important than ever.  I can't wear socks that are too small or my feet will start to hurt.  I also have had a couple of "wardrobe malfunctions" that didn't occur under 6 miles.  (Without going into gory detail, lets just say that chafing can be an issue.)  Even the length of my toenails is critical to happy feet!  Glad to have the opportunity to fix them now, and not be surprised during the race.

Three weeks to go!  Officially signed up for the race.  No turning back now!

Week 8 Recap

Week 8 of 12 on the road to the Windward Half Marathon:

Training Log

Sunday: Stretch and Strength - Sick.  Stayed in bed most of the day.

Monday: 4.5 mile run -  Thankfully, I felt better so I dragged myself out of bed and ran anyway.  Took my time and got it done.

Tuesday: Speed work - 40 minute Tempo Run - Ran on the treadmill.  Covered 3.5 miles in the 40 minutes.

Wednesday: 3 mile run and strength - I actually switched Wednesday's 3 mile run with a rest day.  Still trying to get over this bug.

Thursday: Rest day - Since I was still recovering from my cold, I didn't run the hill (any excuse will do). Ran in Kailua.

Friday:  5 mile run -  Felt pretty much up to par.  Enjoyed this 5 miles in Kailua even though it was hard to get back into the distance after being sick this week.  I tried not to think about how I was going to double those miles in just 24 hours.

Saturday:  10 miles -  I added another loop to my 9 mile run from last Saturday.  I found that my hydration and nutrition are factors on a run of this length.  I carry a frozen bottle of sweet tea that melts as I run.  With my allergy to artificial color, I can't drink sports drinks.  Sweet tea gives me a sugar boost and has flavor!   I also used a GU gel to boost me on the second hour.  Finished 10 miles in 2 hours.  I haven't said too much about my times.  I guess my pride has kept me from sharing my goals, but I was very happy with this time. 

The best thing about this week:   I started feeling sick right after my long run last Saturday.  Thankfully, I had Sunday to suffer through most of it and was able to carry on with my schedule with only a minor adjustment.  Being sick is no fun but I was glad that I didn't miss any running days.

The biggest challenge of this week:  I couldn't tell if I was sore from being sick, or from the higher miles.  Had to push through.


Just one month until the race.  I feel good about running the distance.  Now I need to focus on SPEED!   Here we go!

Week 7 Recap

Kalama Beach Park - my favorite place to start!

Week 7 of 12 on the road to the Windward Half Marathon:

Training Log

Sunday: Stretch and Strength - Rest and relaxation!

Monday: 4.5 mile run -  Even though this run was 1/2 mile longer than previous Monday runs, they are starting to feel like short runs.  Wow, what's happening to me?  I like.

 

Tuesday: Speed work - 8 x 400 at 5K pace - Okay, today is the day it happened.  I blew it off!  Too many family obligations.  First time in more than 6 weeks.  I felt really bad, but then I got over it.

Wednesday: 3 mile run and strength - (Mokulele Drive hill - my nemesis!)  This hill is just like taking medicine, not pleasant, but good for you.  I dutifully completed the hill in decent time.  Still walking, but not as much.

Thursday: Rest day - Have I mentioned that I love rest day?

Friday:  4 mile run -  Family schedule was pressing so I cut this run a bit short.  Only ran 3.7 miles.  Better than nothing, right?  (See lesson #1 below....)

Saturday:  9 miles -  Running 9 miles in a small town, you have to get creative.  I ran from Kalama Beach Park to the first half of the  Windward Half Marathon route, then tagged on a bit at the end to make the miles.  It was hard but felt really good - eventually.  (See lesson #2 below...)

The best thing about this week:   Being able to run 9 miles is such a confidence boost.  I'm already feeling the benefits of training for a longer race. 

The biggest challenge of this week:  This week, it was family obligations that not only took away from training time, but also took mental energy.  I must keep in mind that all this running is a stress relief that helps balance my life.  It helps me be a better me.

A couple more lessons learned in week 7: 

#1 - I've made a mental shift about training.  I find myself thinking that the run I do today will help the run I need to do tomorrow.  If I skimp on my miles today, it will make tomorrows run even harder.  So doing the hard work today will pay off tomorrow if I don't let myself get lazy.  Isn't that what I try to teach my kids about their school training?  Do the work of memorizing your multiplication tables now so math is a lot easier for the rest of your life... 

#2 -   During the long runs, I know that the last couple of miles are the most important.  It's there that I'm not only working my muscles, but I'm also training my mind.  When I start to feel that twinge of discomfort, do I press on or just keep going until it works itself out?  That's the mental toughness that a long race will require.  I see that as the mileage goes up, so must my mental resolve to keep pressing on.  That's kinda like life too, I guess.

Thanks for sticking with me through this.  We're on the down-hill slide now.  Only 5 weeks until race day! 

Lessons Learned So Far...

There are six weeks left in my training plan for the Windward Half Marathon, so I'm half way there!  When I look back at where I started, I feel really good about where I am today.   Training for this race has not only strengthened me physically, but I've learn a few life lessons along the way, too.

#1 - Don't base your progress on how you feel on any one day.  Some days I've felt strong and the very next day, I've felt like I was starting over.  It's been important for me to keep a long view of my progress.  That's why a training log is so valuable.  I may feel really weak one day, but if I look back, I can see that I'm still improving.

The same is true in life.  Personal growth is a slow process.  Even though I haven't achieved what I want to, in looking back I can see how far I've come toward my goals.  Nothing worth while happens over night.  Even on my weak days, I know that I'm still working toward my goal.   I'll get there if I just don't give up.

#2 - Accountability is a great motivator.   When I train on my own, it's all too easy to blow off a run.  That hasn't been the case with this go round.  Just knowing that I will have to report for all the world to see (not that many are looking) has helped me get out of bed more days than I'd like to count.  Out of six weeks of training so far, I've only missed one workout.  I never would have believed it.  I guess I've finally figured out how to make my pride work in my favor.

We were made to live in community.  Peer pressure has been made out to be a bad thing.  But when we encourage each other to do things that improve our life, peer pressure can be great.  Proverbs 27:17 says, "As iron sharpens iron, so a friend sharpens a friend."  Mutual accountability can spur us on to reach goals we couldn't do alone.

#3 - You really can eat an elephant one bite at a time.  It's been a few years since I ran 13.1 miles.  The most I've done is about 5 miles, so a half marathon race seemed like a lot of work.  But the payoff for running that distance was so rewarding, I just had to try it again.  But how do you start something like that?  Finding Hal Higdon's training plan really was key.  It took me from running 9 miles a week to running 9 miles on a Saturday morning in just 6 weeks.

I have a lot of other dreams in my life.  How will I ever achieve them?  It's overwhelming to think of accomplishing them from where I am now.  But if I can break down the goal into many steps, that goal seems a lot more attainable.

There are endless life lessons in running.  There are also many spiritual lessons.  If my ultimate spiritual goal is to know God and to make Him known, there may not be an obvious halfway point.  Some days the end of the race feels far away, some days it feels way too close.  I have so much more to learn.  But by sticking with the training plan, knowing that I'm going to have to 'fess up to my progress, and not basing my progress on how I feel today, I know I can make it ~ to the 13.1 finish line and the finish line of the Kingdom.

Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already been made perfect, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me.  Brothers, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. 

But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind 

and straining toward what is ahead, 

I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.

Philippians 3:12-14

Week 6 Recap

Week 6 of 12 on the road to the Windward Half Marathon:

Training Log

Sunday: Stretch and Strength - Rest and relaxation!

Monday: 4 mile run -  Ran an average time for this day, not the fastest I've done, but not the slowest either.

 

Tuesday: Speed work - 40 minute Tempo Run - Treadmill work today.  The weather was extremely muggy.  Good, sweaty workout.

Wednesday: 3 mile run and strength - I decided to run the hills on Mokulele Drive.  It's a three mile out-and-back from my house to a golf course.  The route is up and down but the main hill is a good 45 degrees for a quarter mile.  Killer.   I had to walk most of it.  It amazes me that I can run 8 miles one day and then a short run on the hills reduces me to walking.  I've committed to run this every Wednesday until race week.  I will not be denied!

Thursday: Rest or easy run day -  My schedule demanded that I make this a rest day.  Only thing is, I didn't really rest.  I spend most of the day either on my feet or sitting on the ground.  It was a very tiring rest day.

Friday:  Rest day - With a 10K race scheduled for Saturday, the plan called for another rest day.  Originally I thought I'd do an easy run, but after my long day Thursday, I gladly took the rest.

Saturday:  10K Race -  Just like in week 3, I didn't have an actual race to run.  So I did the 6 mile out-and-back that will make up the first half of the Windward Half Marathon route.  Since this route is mostly flat, I cut 5 minutes off my last 6 mile run just three weeks ago.  Felt great!  The rest really did me good!

The best thing about this week:   Running the first 6 miles of the race route felt really good.  Now I know what to expect on that leg of the race.

The biggest challenge of this week:  When training for the last half marathon, I ran the Mokulele hills all the time.  I can see that hill training builds the strength I need for the longer distances.  Making myself do it is not easy.  It's like eating your veggies...the ones you don't like.  I know it's good for me, so I've got to do it. 


I can't believe I'm half way through the training.   Six weeks down, and six more to go. 

Week 5 Recap



What's not to love about this running view?  It keeps me coming back!

Week 5 of 12 on the road to the Windward Half Marathon:

Training Log

Sunday: Stretch and Strength - Rest and relaxation! 

Monday: 4 mile run -  Ran a good pace today.  Was a bit faster than last week!  Yay!

Tuesday: Speed work - 7 x 400 5K pace - Treadmill work today.  Short, fast, and to the point.

Wednesday: 3 mile run and strength - Just like Monday, this run was faster than last week.  I can see improvement!  That's encouraging.

Thursday: Rest day -  For the first time in 2 weeks, I actually took the assigned rest day.  Felt great.

Friday: 3 mile run - This run seems to be a bit slower for me consistently.  Don't know if it's because of the rest day, or just because it's the end of a long week.  Plowed through.

Saturday:  8 mile run -  Just like the 7 miler from last week, this was a hard run.  Felt my legs burning by mile 5.  My time wasn't too bad though.  These runs are training my mind as well as my body.  Mental toughness is key.

The best thing about this week:   Now that I've completed 5 weeks, this running routine is really turned into a habit.  I feel odd on the rest days, like I really should be running...

The biggest challenge of this week:  The long runs on Saturday mornings are starting to make weekend plans more challenging.  I can't just schedule an impromptu camping trip or morning surf session with the kids.  It will be worth it.  Don't think, just move...



I have to keep reminding myself it's only week 5. I still have time to improve my speed. I'm trying to focus on the fact that I'm sticking with this plan and not worry too much about beating my last half marathon time. It's been a few years. I'm learning to be nice to myself.

Week 4 Recap

Week 4 of 12 on the road to the Windward Half Marathon:

Training Log

Sunday: Stretch and Strength - I think I'd better just call this a rest day. 

Monday: 3.5 mile run -  Had a nice morning run in Kailua.  Actually ran 4 miles... oops!  :)

Tuesday: Speed work - 35 minute Tempo Run-   Just couldn't get going today.  Vowed to do this on Thursday instead. 

Wednesday: 3 mile run and strength - Did my usual route along Kailua beach.  So beautiful out there.  Enjoyed the beauty of my home town.

Thursday: Rest day -  Made up for missing on Tuesday.  Glad I got the Tempo Run done, but learned a lesson on timing of these rest days.  Paid for it Saturday....

Friday:  3 mile run - Family scheduling meant that I had to do this run on the treadmill.  Now I remember why road running is so much better - uninterrupted time!  Distracted but made it through.

Saturday:  7 mile run - Wow.  I haven't gone 7 miles in a long time.  It was hard.  I think switching my rest day really worked against me.  Had to walk a lot, but finished with a pretty good time.  I need to work on pacing these long runs.

Can't believe that 4 weeks have gone by already.  It's fun to be running the longer distances now.  

The best thing about this week:  Even as hard as the 7 miler was, I felt great to have it done and my time wasn't as bad as I had feared during the run.

The biggest challenge of this week:  I learned that running 4 days in a row with my longest run on the 4th day was not a good idea.  My body felt about a hundred years old on Saturday evening....

Found a much better playlist to accompany my run - David Crowder Band.  Here's a song that really kept me going.  It's not the pace of the song, but the message that moved me down the road.

 "...Heal my limbs and joyfully I'll run to You!"

Week 3 Recap

Week 3 of 12 on the road to the Windward Half Marathon:

Training Log

Sunday: Stretch and Strength - Well, I haven't improved in this area.  By Sunday, I just want to lay around...

Monday: 3.5 mile run -  Because I missed my long run on Saturday, I made up for it today.  It was a beautiful 4th of July morning.  Ran past the folks setting up their umbrellas and chairs to watch our local parade.  Ran 6 miles.  Felt great.

Tuesday: Speed work - 6 x 400 at 5K pace -   Here's where I had to rearrange my training plan.  Since I ran 6 miles on Monday, I used this day to rest.  Normally, this week's training calls for two days of rest before a 5K race.  I'm not signed up for a race this week, so I used one of the rest days here.

Wednesday: 3 mile run and strength - Kept to the schedule on this day.  Nice Kailua morning run.  Made good time.  Not walking as much.

Thursday: Rest day -  Didn't rest but ran Tuesday's speed work on the treadmill.  It seems so easy.  Six laps is just 1.5 miles.  But ol' Hal really knows what he's talking about.  I can already see improvement in my endurance and speed.

Friday:  Rest -  I did stick to the schedule and rest on this day.

Saturday:  5K Race -  Like I mentioned, I didn't have a 5K race to enter, so my husband and I went on a 4.5 mile trail run on the beautiful Aiea Loop Trail.  You can read about my adventure here.

This week took a bit of juggling the schedule, but I think I kept true to the training direction.  I kept up with the speed work, got a good long run in, and learned a bit about how to improvise when I need to.

The best thing about this week:  Definitely the trail run.  So much fun to engage your mind on the trail.  It was fun to run with my husband.  Usually I can't keep up with him, but he slowed down a bit and I pushed myself a bit and we had fun together.

The biggest challenge of this week:  I seem to have Monday's run solved, but still need a better plan for Sunday.

Just knowing that I have to be accountable to write up my training log is great motivation for me.  I don't ever want to have to tell you that I blew off a run.  You're helping me more than you know!

Thanks!  And don't let me have all the fun, get out there and Enjoy the Run!

Week 2 Recap

Week 2 of 12 on the road to the Windward Half Marathon:

Training Log

Sunday: Stretch and Strength - I haven't really done anything structured on this day.  My stretching consists of what I do when I get up from my nap - kind of like your typical house cat.  I need to plan more specific exercises for this week!

Monday: 3 mile run -  Like last week, this run was more a miss than a hit.  I took our dog Blue to the beach and attempted to run with him.  Unfortunately, I found that running on the beach was way harder than I wanted to work.  It ended up being 45 minute walk.  Better than nothing!

Tuesday: Speed work - 30 minute Tempo Run -   I had to look this one up online.  There are many opinions on how to best describe this speed workout, but most of them included this phrase:  comfortably hard.  You run at a moderate pace, then speed up to a "comfortably hard" pace for a certain distance, then return to a moderate pace.  You repeat the process for the length of your run.  I found that this is how I usually run.  Running has always been comfortably hard.  So I slow down to catch my breath, then pick it up again.  The difference I made today was not allowing myself to walk at all, but only slowed the pace to "rest".   I used my treadmill on this day.

Wednesday: 3 mile run and strength - Had an appointment in Kailua at 9:00 AM, so I ran after that.  I'm not used to running in the late morning.  It was hot.  I was proud that I didn't blow off the run.   Note to self:  get an early start!

Thursday: Rest day -  The rest couldn't have come at a better time.  Busy day with two kids leaving for the mainland.  It's only the second week, but already I feel like I'm playing hooky if I don't run!

Friday: 3 mile run -  The rest day prepares me to do a quick run on Friday.  Tried to run at race pace.

Saturday:  6 mile run -  Unexpected family concerns kept me from running my full six.  I was only able to do 3 on the treadmill.  I plan to make it up on Monday.  This day inspired a new post on dealing with the unexpected - look for it this week!

Overall, I was very pleased with my workouts this week.  Although I didn't get all the miles in according to my plan, at least I completed something 5 out of the 5 days.  That's how life is.  I don't expect to follow the training plan to the letter.  It just keeps me moving toward the goal.

The best thing about this week:  I kept my running commitment on Wednesday, even when my schedule was busy.

The biggest challenge of this week:  Monday's workout needs to be a higher priority.

With ten weeks left until race day, it's still not too late for you to join me.  Set some goals, and find a plan that works.  We can do this and it's always more fun with a friend!

A New Goal in Mind

Ever heard the saying, "If you aim at nothing, you're bound to hit it"?  That's a bit how I feel about my running.  I add running to my weekly routine, but don't really have a goal in mind.  It's been several years since I participated in an official race.  Why?  Well, they take commitment.  Life has been so unpredictable that I didn't want to tie myself down to a firm training schedule.  Sounds good right?  Truth is, I've been lazy...

So, no more!  I'm motivated again and I'm going to have you keep me accountable.  I've got my eye on the Windward Half Marathon that will be on September 11, 2011.  Although I have done a couple of half marathons before, I haven't done this one.  The one's I've done have been on the Waikiki side of the island.  This race is right in my own backyard.  No more excuses.  I have all summer to train...

This is the first week of a Hal Higdon, 12-week training schedule I found.  I'm trying to improve my last time, so I've chosen a plan that includes some speed work.  This will be a first for me.  My plan is (Lord willing) to do the regular running days in Kailua, and do the speed work on my treadmill.  That way I can measure the 400s easily. 

Wanna join me?  You may not be able to make it to the Windward Half on Oahu, but I bet you can find something in your area.  It doesn't have to be a half.  What about a 5K to start?  Maybe you're ready for a full marathon!  Whatever it is, lets start together! 

In the spirit of openness, I must confess that I missed my first day of running on this plan.  We had just returned from a weekend camping trip that wiped me out.  That's how life is sometimes, but I wont be deterred!  It's not about following the letter of the training schedule, it's about moving toward the goal.  I'm firmly committed this time.  I wont let this unpredictable life be my reason for quitting! 

Don’t you realize that in a race everyone runs,

but only one person gets the prize?

So run to win!  All athletes are disciplined in their training.

They do it to win a prize that will fade away,

but we do it for an eternal prize. 

So I run with purpose in every step.

I am not just shadowboxing. 

I discipline my body like an athlete,

training it to do what it should.

Otherwise, I fear that after preaching to others

I myself might be disqualified.

1 Corinthians 9:24-27 (NLT)



There are many reasons that I run. Physically, I want to keep fit and need the stress release. But the best benefit I get from running is time alone with God. Being out in His creation, I feel His presence. When I run, I learn so many spiritual lessons. I hope to share those here as well.