Half Marathon Run and Training

Sunday I got at 6:00. Yes, on a SUNDAY I got up early. Why?

To run of course.

Funny how getting up to run is so much easier than getting up to go to work. Well maybe not so funny.

Last week I signed up for my first half marathon. I've been talking about running one in May and have had a little schedule figured out but had never signed up for one. Well I finally bit the bullet last week and signed up. SO SCARY! But exciting too!

I decided on the Avenue Of The Vines for a few reasons.

1. It's flat

2. It's my old stomping grounds. I went to Lodi High School (GO FLAMES!) and thought it would be fun to run around there.

Frequently when I'm running I have flash backs to junior high and the really hard PE teachers we had and me struggling to make it around the perimeter of the field in time to NOT be put in the fat kids group. They had three groups and you'd be put in them according to how fast you could run the mile.

Fast kids got to play the fun sports, Medium kids sometimes played with the fast kids but sometimes had to do more working out and the Slow kids had to run/walk the WHOLE class period while everyone else got to play a sport. Nice, huh? I usually made it to the medium group but just barely.

Funny how when I'm running the memories of that PE class (two years of it) are so so vivid.

In high school I went out for track. Mostly because no one got cut and I wanted to do something. I "tried out" for sprinting but they put me in shot put and discus. Always pissed me off that I didn't get to at least try what I wanted to do.

3. It's not too far from home. So we could get up and go in the morning without having to say the night somewhere.

4. It wasn't too expensive.

I signed up and posted it on my Facebook and then was reminded that my step mom had signed up for the same race!

Fleet feet is doing a training group in our city and my step mom called and offered to pay for me to join the training and do it with her. Sign me up!

So that is why I was up early Sunday. I got there a couple minutes late and they were warming up doing static stretching. I was really surprised because I've mostly read that you shouldn't do static stretching.  My step mom turned to me and said "I don't really like stretching before I run". I was relieved and said I didn't either. We kind of just half assed stretched and then it was time to go run!

I wasn't sure how far we were running and it was pretty cold when I got up so I had worn a couple layers. Of course it was about an hour later by the time I was actually going to run and once I found out we were running for 50 minutes I knew I was over dressed. I stopped at the car and took off my extra layers (and had to take my shoes off and was making us behind everyone, I felt so bad!). I'm glad I did that though.

We took off running and it was great. We just talked the whole time and before I knew it we were half way done and turning back. We got back about 2 minutes early because we ran a bit faster on the way back.

One thing I learned already? Pay attention when they are giving directions on where you are running. We were talking a bit and I thought we'd all kind of be running along together like. Um no? We passed the walkers and then we were pretty much on our own. We were doing the "did they say to turn on this street?" game. At least it was a pretty short run being an out and back and it's not like I'm going to get lost in my own city (at least in this area).

Wednesday is our next meet up and we're going to be doing speed work I believe. That means intervals. Blech! We are meeting at a park. Hope it's fun! I see potential for a few new friends. Hope they pan out.