Train for ALL THE THINGS

Now that yoga teacher training has wrapped up, I'm excited to jump into a training program. Which is great, because the Sioux Falls Half Marathon is just around the corner (I start my 10 week training schedule on Monday!) and I've been running minimally. Eeps!

I have been carefully plotting out my runs for each week, and putting them on my calendar along with my yoga and barre classes (along with the classes I still need to assist to finish my yoga teacher training certification hours) and I swear I'm breaking into a sweat just by typing all of that into my iCal. So who knows how I'm going to actually complete the workouts.

As I was plotting my long runs on my weekends, I was excited to see that my cutback week fell on a weekend that I had intended on doing a 60 mile bike ride. I've done a half century before, but that was a few years ago, and I have yet to take my bike out this season for a ride. It took approximately 45 seconds of excitement to realize that if I'm going to do a 60 mile ride in one month, I will need to be doing some 30 mile rides weekly to get my booty used to sitting in the saddle. And then I looked at my already jam packed schedule and said good bye to the ride. There's always next year, right?

And the good news is that a running friend is planning a for fun 5k the morning of the 60 mile ride, so all is not lost. I can still do something fun with my cutback week. :)

Oh Hey, Remember Me?

I’m a big planner. Sometimes figuring out my race “plan” is more fun than actually executing it. This spring, I had already decided that I would cut back the running mileage for this summer. Based on the hades like temps for the spring, I was a little concerned as to what the summer was going to bring. Plus, summer classes are from 6-10:15pm two nights a week for June and then July, in which we’re smooshing one whole semester’s worth of information into four weeks (and then again for July). Uff. 

And then I got a pug. 

 ZOMG I LOVE HER SHE’S AMAZING SHE’S THE GLITTER FARTS TO MY SPARKLE BUTT.

All of these components further solidified my plan to cut back the running miles. 20-30/week? Sure. Sounds good to me. Have I hit that the last couple of weeks? Uh… not even close. To fill the gap (don’t ask where I’m finding a gap in my time) I decided to add in some biking! YAY! I can bike in the sweltering heat! It actually feels kinda good (compared to running that is). 

I found a 50 mile ride the end of June, and a lovely friend who’s willing to accompany me on said ride. It doesn’t hurt that he’s a great biker, and he’ll calm my little newbie brain. And another lovely friend will be accompanying me on a 60 mile ride/race in July! YAYZIES! But again… haven’t been riding much some early May when I had that weird calf cramping. SOOO YEAH! Time to get going.  (Update since drafting this:  PDR with Aaron last Friday night with 30.3 miles with a MONSTER upset stomach.  If I can be in that much pain for 30 miles, I can surely do 50!)

And there may be a TBD century ride in August.

After I leave this summer refreshed and jealous of everyone’s shiny new summer time PRs, I will be off and running towards marathon training. I plan to start Pfitz 18/55 (possibly hitting 60…juuuust to see how that works out) on August 3^rd, putting me 18 weeks out from my goal fall race DALLAS MARATHON (previously Dallas White Rock Marathon). I’ll get to see my lovely nephew and meet my gorgggg niece, and run in delightful Dallas “winter” temps. And since I learned this spring that 18 weeks is faaaaaaaaaaaar too long to hold my attention for training, I’ll be doing a 26.2 mile training run in the form of Nike Women’s Marathon with Megan! In case you were curious, my summer, PLUS those first 2 months of marathon training will be seeing some hill work! Which is great because I think running uphill is great for my (shoddy) form!

So that’s my plan. I have some local races written down in my planner, so if I wake up to unusually cool temps, I can head out and jump in, but I’m clearly not in PR shape. Like… not even close. As is evidenced by zero PRs since last August. Womp womp!

But luckily for me I’ve mega PR’d in PUGGY LOVE!