training for.... a half marathon

I have never had aspirations to run a half marathon. Running is not my favorite. 

For so many years playing soccer, it was all about training for the next step. Training to try out for a the high school team, training so I wasn't left in the dust my first college season, training for ODACs, training for NCAA, training towards a national championship. There always something I was training towards, which ended up feeling like I would never obtain the highest goal or ever be able to train hard enough. 

For soccer, if your training but not including a lot running, you wouldn't be ready for anything. Therefore, I always needed to be running on my own. Again, not my favorite thing. 

After all the years of training for soccer, I have started enjoying working out in different ways, which didn't always include running. I ride mountain bikes, swim, spinning, lifting, elliptical, play tennis, racquetball, and chase wrigley around outside. Now that I've been doing my own plan for several years, it's starting to get old. 

This year, with a new lacrosse/strength and conditioning coach, Hayley, at Sweet Briar, I started tagging along with her workouts. For the entire fall semester, we printed a lifting/exercising chart and did it 3 times a week. I'd supplement it with a day or two of cardio. But all in all, I didn't have to plan or design my work outs. So much better. 

In addition, my best friend has been nagging me to sign up to run a half marathon with her for a while.  Now with a busy spring semester at work, I needed to set up a plan for my workouts. What a better way to have planned workouts then to sign up for a half marathon! 

I signed up the day registration opened (with a gentle push from Hayley who's also running it). I started to panic that my best friend wouldn't get registered in time, so I frantically started texting her while she was busy at work (at her new job that she is rocking!). I ended up just signing her up myself... and nicely asked her to please request the day off! 

Have I ever run more than 5 miles? No. And I've only ran 5 miles once in my life. ha. However, I can run a pretty mean 3 miles! Training for a half marathon gives me a weekly plan; and that's what I need right now to keep me going during this crazy, busy spring season. The race is the day after graduation, so training will take me through the rest of the semester. 

12-weeks of training. Here we go!! 

13.1 miles - May 18th

Training plan that sits on my desk at work!