The Half Time Show

OH MY GOODNESS….

Has it really been one month since I posted… anything????

Yikes.

I get slightly annoyed when blogs aren’t updated and then here I am, not posting anything in a month.

Kinda like my other blog, that I created for our honeymoon. It was an epic FAIL because I planned on updating my blog through my Droid but Verizon doesn’t have coverage in Europe. Yes, the entire continent. No coverage! So I could only post from the US. Junk!!!! I will update it soon, I guess. But I already posted my pics for my friends/family on FB so I’m not really motivated to post them again and then write about them. Even though I know we got good stories. Anyway, my brain is rambling.

Don’t want this blog to turn out like that one! So I kinda annoy myself when I don’t post in a long time. Not like I have any readers. YET.

I haven’t even told anyone about this blog yet!! I guess because I wanted to get some entries under my belt first and not be all pressured to post something every single day. And I like to read my old posts to see how far I’ve come.

It has been almost 8 weeks since I started this journey. I made my own little training schedule (I heart Excel) and have been following it for the most part. Life doesn’t always follow a schedule so even though I’m not completely on track, I have been making progress.

CHANGES AS OF HALF WAY THROUGH:

• I can run longer now. Not distances, but amount of time. Remember on Day 1? I couldn’t even run for a minute!! Scrolling through my other posts, I had to chuckle to myself. 2 weeks after starting, I was able to run for 1.5 minutes straight. Then later on I was able to run for 2 minutes! And NOW? After 8 weeks of training, I can now run for 13 MINUTES.

• I realized it’s better to stretch after a run, not before. And REST is good.

• I have signed up for my first 5K this year: Jamba Juice Banana Man. It’s a race around Ala Moana Beach Park and Magic Island, chasing people dressed like bananas. Fun times. And my friend has signed up too. And my husband. Yay!

• My bill arrived for my year subscription to Runner’s World Magazine. Later I received my 2 free issues. Told them I wasn’t gonna pay until after I received and read through my 2 free issues because then I will know if I want the subscription or not. Stay tuned for that cliff hanger.

• I’ve been reading running blogs for inspiration. Two that I check up on regularly are Run Faster Mommy and Shut Up and Run. It’s nice to feel connected.

• Realized that nutrition plays a big role in my training. Now, I choose healthier foods when I can because I know it will help my run be a little more enjoyable. Eating junk before working out just makes me sick. Literally. However, I still eat junk and enjoy it. I just don’t work out after. Hmmm, maybe I should address that during the second half.

• Made a verbal commitment to run a 13K in February 2012. Should be cake. Note to self: Sign up for a 10K before the end of the year.

GOALS FOR THE NEXT HALF:

• Run non-stop for 30 minutes.

• Add distance to my run. I’m currently running about 2 miles in 30 minutes (run/walk/run/walk type of running). I will add one “long” run a week: a 4 mile run, no matter how long it takes. It’s no 11 mile run but it’s long for me!

• Increase my pace, slowly. Right now I’m at a 12 minute mile. I hope to be slightly under a 10 minute mile for this race. Not sure how realistic that is.

So there you have it. My update for the past month. I know that my resolution for the year was to run a 5K sub 30 but the competitive spirit in me is shooting for a sub 30 min race in May. I’m trying to remind myself that even if I don’t finish sub 30, I still can finish it. And I have 7 more months to race another 5K and to improve.

Any tips or advice to power through the next 8 weeks? Any runners out there think that increasing my pace from 12 min/mile to <10 min/mile is do-able?