I've never really trained for any physical activity before. Never did any organized sports in high school or college. And marching band didn't exactly have a strict workout regiment. Sure I did a triathlon last fall, but I just came up with my own random plan to do that. I didn't follow a schedule or look for advice on how to do it, just sort of went with it. I know, crazy (and more on that whole thing in another post) but for the half marathon I'm doing at the end of February, I've been seriously following an 18 week plan (just started Week 11) and it's… definitely a unique experience.
When I signed up for this Half Marathon, all I thought about was how I'd be running 13.1 miles on a relatively flat course in warm Florida. It is Disney's Princess Half Marathon (going from Epcot to Cinderella's castle and back) after all. And I mostly started thinking about what I was going to wear (cuteness and tiaras are encouraged). I also just had a goal to complete the race, not to actually set any land speed records, so I thought I'd be totally fine. I didn't think about what the training would actually be like. And that I'd be training during an East Coast winter, and while its been mild on the snow front, it has had some mighty brisk temperatures.
Christmas Eve I was up in Maine and had to do my longest run to date (I've been following the Jeff Galloway plan, and he does a run-walk-run program, so it is actually quite doable) and it was 18 degrees out. One. Eight. (Yes, I realize could have gone on a treadmill, but treadmills give me shin splints and make me feel like I'll die of boredom... especially on longer runs). There were icy spots along the course in Brunswick that my brother likes, but since I had to do 10 miles, this 2.5 mile each way path seemed like the best bet. Just go out and back twice. And not freeze or slip and fall on my ass in the process. Simple!
I did make it, twisted my knee a little in the process and missed a few short training runs in week 10, but have healed up to do my "longer" weekend run. And while my in excellent shape brother was able to briskly walk alongside of me as I ran, my pace on that 10 mile run gave me confidence that I could finish the half marathon well under the 3:30 time limit that this particular race has allotted (well, at least by 15 minutes if there are suddenly appearing hills and the temps drop down to 18 maybe 30 if all goes well). My worst fear about this race has been that I wouldn't finish and get the medal that I've trained so hard for. The idea that the little trucks come around to pick up the stragglers (which I've been joking with my personal ChEARleader that they are driven by Dopey and Goofy) has put a fear really in me.
But along the way I've gained a newfound appreciation for the work that goes into the marathon efforts. Even when you see people walking, they probably pounded the pavement several mornings a week to get to this point. I doubt that most people just wake up and decide to do any lengthy road race. Especially me. And I'm probably the furthest thing from a natural runner that you can find. In high school, I distinctly remember my gym teacher telling me I was the only student he had who could walk a mile faster than she could run one. That's probably still true. I am slightly better now, but my typical13ish minute mile pace isn't exactly going to qualify me for the Olympics. But it might keep Goofy off my tail. And I've still got eight more weeks to train… if I don't freeze before then.
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