I want to skip a training session

What is wrong with me! I got myself all setup for the Frederick Half Marathon...training plan, a 10k a month or so before, got a treadmill to get me through the winter...I'm 4 days in and already I'm justifying skipping my run tonight. NOT OKAY. My mom needs help wrapping presents and we always do game night with my family on Thursday's so I figure no big deal I'll just run tomorrow. Isn't that how it always happens...tomorrow, until my next training day comes up and I have ended up skipping this one entirely. I knew I should have gotten my lazy butt out of bed and ran this morning...

So how do you keep up your motivation?

1st Class Back in College

I finally bit the bullet and went back to school this semester. I've been putting it off for a while now but I went back, worked hard and the first class is done. Final grades came back this morning and I finished with a 99%!!! I'm so excited. It was only a 200 level class but working full time, being a mom and taking a class makes time pretty limited so I'm proud.

Winter semester is coming up and is only one week long...ugh - I have my book and have started reading now so I will be able to keep up. School is pretty fun when you are doing well!

Half Marathon Training Plan

I need help from my fellow runners! I tweaked a 21 week schedule that gets me through training for my first half marathon (S&S is Strength and Stretching). Can you give me some feedback? Any tips or any week that looks out of whack?

Week	Monday	Tuesday	Wednesday	Thursday	Friday	Saturday	Sunday	Total Miles
December 12th	S & S	3 miles	2 miles	3 mi + Strength	Rest	30 min walking	4 miles	12
December 19th	S & S	3 miles	2 miles	3.5 mi + Strength	Rest	30 min walking	4 miles	12.5
December 26th	S & S	3.5 miles	2 miles	3.5 mi + Strength	Rest	40 min walking	5 miles	14
January 2nd	S & S	3.5 miles	2 miles	3.5 mi + Strength	Rest	40 min walking	5 miles	14
January 9th	S & S	4 miles	2 miles	4 mi + Strength	Rest	40 min walking	6 miles	16
January 16th	S & S	4 miles	2 miles	4 mi + Strength	Rest	50 min walking	6 miles	16
January 23rd	S & S	4 miles	2 miles	4 mi + Strength	Rest	50 min walking	7 miles	17
January 30th	S & S	4.5 miles	3 miles	4.5 mi + Strength	Rest	50 min walking	7 miles	19
February 6th	S & S	4.5 miles	3 miles	4.5 mi + Strength	Rest	50 min walking	8 miles	20
February 13th	S & S	4.5 miles	3 miles	4.5 mi + Strength	Rest	50 min walking	9 miles	21
February 20th	S & S	5 miles	3 miles	5 mi + Strength	Rest	60 min walking	9 miles	22
February 27th	S & S	5 miles	3 miles	5 mi + Strength	Rest	60 min walking	10 miles	23
March 5th	S & S	5 miles	3 miles	5 mi + Strength	Rest	Rest	10K Race	19
March 12th	S & S	5 miles	3 miles	5 mi + Strength	Rest	60 min walking	11 miles	24
March 19th	S & S	5.5 miles	3 miles	5 mi + Strength	Rest	60 min walking	11 miles	24.5
March 26th	S & S	5.5 miles	3 miles	5.5 mi + Strength	Rest	60 min walking	12 miles	26
April 2nd	S & S	5.5 miles	3 miles	5.5 mi + Strength	Rest	60 min walking	12 miles	26
April 9th	S & S	5.5 miles	3 miles	5.5 mi + Strength	Rest	60 min walking	13 miles	27
April 16th	S & S	5.5 miles	3 miles	5.5 mi + Strength	Rest	60 min walking	13 miles	27
April 23rd	S & S	5 miles	2 miles	5 mi + Strength	Rest	Rest	8 miles	20
April 30th	S & S	4 miles	2 miles	2 miles	Rest	Rest	Half Marathon	21

Reindeer 5k - New PR Time

It was SO cold! I'm not signing up for another run until temperatures are in the 50's. I hate being cold and I really hate being under-dressed for the cold knowing that I'm going to be hot in about 10 minutes. I had on UA mid calf tights and a cold wear mock turtleneck w/a tank top underneath and a lightweight zip up sweatshirt.

Once we started running my hands were cold and it worked to take my mind off anything else being cold. Per my last post my goal was 30:36 and I knew I should be running under 30 minutes. For the first half mile I kept on Brandy's hip knowing that she would be running under my goal pace and would keep my moving. From there she slowly started to pull away and while I wanted to keep with her I knew there was no way I would make it through 3 miles.

I'm very happy with how I ran. I set a great speed going out and did a pretty good job keeping my speed up (my last mile was only 30 seconds longer than my first) throughout the run. There is no way I can be upset after finishing in 27:50 27:45 and setting a new PR by over 4 minutes. I'm really looking forward to concentrating on training for my next event which is the Frederick Half Marathon.

Hope everyone else had a great running weekend!

80 out of 194 overall
6 out of 27 in my division (Fem. 21-30)
38 out of 132 in females

Running Update

I have my 3rd 5k race tomorrow morning. Why am I nervous? I had trouble sleeping last night; it isn't like I'm running to win anything. I think it is all about whether or not I will PR. Actually if I don't crush my last time we have issues, it is really about how much I beat my previous race by.

The temperature is supposed to be a little chilly (38 degrees) at 8 am tomorrow morning. Part of the run is down by the water but luckily that is about a mile in so I should be pretty warm by then.  The goal I set for myself a couple weeks ago was 31 minutes or under but after my run last Sunday I'm thinking it should be 30 minutes or under. I really don't want to set myself up for disappointment though so I think a reasonable goal would be to shave 5% off my last 5k race time. That puts me at 30 minutes and 36 seconds. Turns out to be perfect now that I do the math!

Wish me luck!