I'm either going to PR or die trying...

My vote is option 1.

I'm in the midst of finalizing my 1/2 marathon training program set to start June 29th. WHOO! This 1/2 is the race that I do every year, thus qualifying whether I'm a loser or a winner. As many of you know from following along, I was a sprinter in high school (and for a solid week or 2 in college, quitter!). During college I would run on the treadmill or around campus randomly but never more than a mile or 2. The summer after my junior year, I started to notice one too many chins and started following a training program I found in a fitness magazine to "get back into shape." It was kind of sad how "not in shape" I was. I had to run/walk and was huffing and puffing a lot, especially in the beginning. But by the end of the 8 weeks of following it, I could run again. Phew.

At this time, a new friendship was blossoming with BFFF#2 (not in ranking, just in order of mentioning on my blog. She's Miss Portland from yesterday). She had the CRAZY idea that we should train and run a 1/2 marathon. I told her she was cuckoo bananas. "Racing" farther than one lap of the track was enough to make my heart stop.

I started to look up training programs to see if they even seemed doable. Surprisingly, they were somewhat similar to the get-back-into-shape one I had been doing for the past 2 months, albeit with much longer runs on Sunday, but still. We decided to sign up and start running. We did the 12 week Hal Higdon Beginner program, and that's when my love for HH began. :) My goals for this race were:

1. Not to die

2. Not to have to walk

3. (super secretly) to beat 2 hours

For some reason, 2 hours is what stuck in my head as being the ultimate goal. It separated the runners (whom I used to classify myself as) and those that ran for fun [PLEASE no one take offense to this, this is logic that is more than 4 years old, and by no means a knock to anyone's 1/2 time, whether it be 1:15 or 4:00).

I finished the race in 2:07:39 for an avg. pace of 9:45. I didn't die, and I didn't have to walk. (I did have to stop for a few seconds a couple of times as my IT bands were getting VERY tight.) But I didn't meet my third goal.

So I came back again the next year. This time moving up to the Intermediate training program, thus INSURING a finish below 2 hours. Nope. 2:11:56, try again lassie. I will say that I did not have to stop ONCE in this race, even to stretch/drink/etc. which I am insanely proud of. (As that was a part of the goals for race #2).

Year #3: Again with the Intermediate training, but slacking pretty majorly. Usually cutting out at least one run a week, because I had a boooooooooooooyfriend and I was in loooooooooooooooove. And he was waaaaaay more fun than running. :) 2:16:14. You get what you work for I guess, and clearly I was working less. (Also notice that each year I'm a little less..um..."fit" looking...that couldn't have helped me to be faster...hah.)

Last year was year #4 of the annual 1/2. Again with the intermediate, but VERY loosely following. As in... I ran 2-3 times a week, even SKIPPING long runs--Cardinal Sin #1. My heart wasn't in it, I knew I wasn't going to beat 2 hours but I knew I could complete the run with minimal training, so that was the goal. Finish. I did in 2:19:57.

After last year's half, I retired. I wasn't loving running anymore, and I sure as heck wasn't getting any faster. Running had begun to be a chore, and I wanted out. Shortly after hanging up the shoes, I realized a good friend of mine was now living in SF, and he mentioned he wanted to start running. We ran a handful of times and it was fun. It had been a long time since a run had been fun. Apparently I just needed a break, and then to focus on shorter distances, because that long distance stuff is for the birds! But still I hardly ran from November-December, who likes running in snow and ice? Not this girl.

In December I bought a gym membership (for a whopping $16.05/mo. WITH tax) and started running again with the running buddy. Needless to say my running over the last 6 months has been the most enjoyable it ever has been. It probably doesn't hurt that I am getting faster, but that's also directly attributed to how hard I'm pushing myself and how dedicated I am to the training programs I've done lately.

Based on the mileage I've put in as a "base" for my 1/2 training, and the times of some recent longer runs, I think this is it. The year of the PR, the year I will break 2 hours. Not only break, but SHATTER 2 hours (ok shatter is a pretty strong word, but I like to dream big).

I was comparing the Hal Higdon Intermediate plan (that I know and love oh so much) to a Runners World plan. And I'm sorry to say, I don't think HH is going to cut it for the Year of the PR (although I totally credit has plans for the 5k PR shatterings that have taken place this spring, and hopefully again next Saturday).

According to the 5k I PROJECT I will obtain next Saturday, the RW plan has me running a 1:48 HM. BAHAHAHAH. BUT, the pacing times that are listed for long runs, speed work, tempo runs, are fairly close to what I'm doing now so I think the plan itself fits. 1:48...ummm..not so much, maybe next year. ;)

I'm excited to bump up my mileage and finally have a month's mileage top out over 100!!! I'm truly excited to start training for this race and that's what running is all about, enjoying getting out there, getting in the miles, and getting your sweat on! :)

Now I just have to do some minor manipulations to it to account for a race or two and some potential weekends out of town, and we have ourselves a training program. Does anyone else get really excited when everything is finalized and stuck up to the fridge? I sure do. :)