Week 3: Training for my half marathon

Here’s a novel idea. Instead of saying “I can’t do that.” Why don’t you try saying, “I’m going to try to do that.” Because seriously, guys, I just hauled my big but on a 6 mile run yesterday. (F’YA!). Here’s what my last 2 weeks have looked like:

January 14-20th (I did NOT miss a workout!)

• Monday: Bicep curs 40#x10; Tricep press 20#x10 each: Overhead Press 30#x10; Bent over row 40#x10; Upright row 40#x10
• Tuesday/Thursday: RandomAbs.com core workout
• Wednesday: Lunges x20 each; Squats 40# x20; SL Deadlift 20#x20 each;
• Friday: 3 miles, 40 minutes, easy run.
• Saturday: 5 mile trail run (everything about this sucked, including the two massive hills) It took me an hour.
• Sunday:2 miles on Treadmill. I was supposed to be doing 3, but my hip was all kinds of sore from my run. Some hip rehab: glute medius strength plus ham, quad, ITB, piriformis stretch and myofascial release.

January 21st-27th

• Monday: Bicep curs 40#x20; Tricep press 20#x20 each: Overhead Press 30#x20; Bent over row 40#x20; Upright row 40#x20
• Tuesday/Thursday: RandomAbs.com core workout
• Wednesday: Missed Leg workout
• Friday/Saturday: Missed Runs*
• Sunday: 6 mile distance run. Average pace was 13:54/mile. I walked some in the last 2 miles and stopped to stretch once because I felt my hip acting up.

*I plan to make up one run on Monday or Wednesday this week, depending on how my legs feel and how work goes that day. So it’ll only be one missed run.

The way I’m managing this half marathon idea is this: my goal is weight loss. The half marathon and weekly running is a tool I’m using to lose weight, so ultimately, it doesn’t matter how fast I go, as long as I finish the distance (Remember, it doesn’t matter if you walk or run a mile, you still burn the same amount of calories). When I feel like my legs aren’t moving at all and I’m feeling fatigued I stop and walk at a brisk pace for 2 minutes. When I go back to running I feel much better and I end up averaging a faster pace that way.

My CV system is holding up quite well to these longer runs. I’m not getting winded at all, my only barrier is that my legs get so fatigued and feel so weak I feel like I can’t pick them up and put that down again. Any runners have some insite? I’m keeping my LE lifting to a minimum, focusing on reps and proper form and not weight. I’m avoiding fatiguing them with strength training because they get plenty of that with the running.

Side note, I can’t believe I just ran 6 miles. Seriously. I always thought I couldn’t do it and as a result I never tried. I’ll never make that mistake again!