Half in June

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tavenne323
tavenne323 Posts: 332 Member
Ok, so it's isn't my first half marathon. I did one back in 2008...maybe it was 2009. But regardless, I didn't train for that one AT ALL. I won the entry and figured I would decide the night before...and I decided just to do it. I think I jogged the first and last 1/2 mile and walked the rest. I believe my time was just over the 3:30 mark. They asked me multiple times if I wanted a ride to the finish. I was even asked if I would walk on the sidewalk as the elite marathoners would be coming through soon (they didn't). I hated every second of it but I am not a quitter so I just kept on walking. At about the last half mile, I started to jog again as I could see the people lined up along the street up ahead. It was at this point I was passed by the elite marathoners (who ran twice the distance and started an hour after I did!). As I rounded the corner I just started bawling! So happy to finally be done. Glad I finished but never wanted to do it again.

In 2013, I got my act together and decided to it was time for a lifestyle change (omg, I am so sick of that term, but it really is true). I went from 260lbs to 173 at the end of 2013. Healthy eating and exercising, running. I've been doing at least one 5k since 2008. So I continued to do them, added a few more each year, getting better and better. This past summer I did my first 10k and jogged, very slowly, the whole thing. That surprised me!

Every September I run a mile race in which they give away 250 guaranteed entries to the next summer's half marathon (which is a lottery). I've won a guaranteed entry (still have to pay) almost every year I've done it. So this year, after the 10k, I decided that if I go another I was train and do the half the following June...and of course I set a personal mile record and got an entry. In November, I set a PR for a 5k as well, so it was time.

Right now I am mostly cross training, biking on my trainer, yoga, occasional rock climbing, and on non-freezing blizzard days, trying to get out to run at least 3 miles. I plan to start my Hal Higdon or Coach Jenny programs starting in late March (after I get back from Florida).

So, on June 20, 2015 I will run in my first half marathon that I have actually trained for.

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  • FireStorm1972
    FireStorm1972 Posts: 1,142 Member
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    Great job 8) My 1st is May10th. Same here with lifestyle change. made the decision back on February 1st 2014 and its almost a year later and Im down from 275+lbs to fluctuating 150lbs and under currently. I walk and cycle for my crosstraining days, weight train, Yoga at least 4hours a week. Yoga has really helped with my running as it has opened the hips and stretched my quads and hamstrings, now incorporating foam rolling before and after my runs, this seems to help a lot also.
  • GreatCthulhu
    GreatCthulhu Posts: 93 Member
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    I have my first half planned on 3rd May and another one in September. I am using the May run as a training run for September. Started C25K in February last year and never thought I would manage a half marathon! I run 3-4 times a weel, including a 5k parkrun every Saturday. I need to find some time to add some strength too.