Aramco Houston Half Marathon Training

For the Houston Half Marathon, I've decided to do a 12 week training plan. I wanted to give myself enough time to recover from the Bemidji Marathon, but not soooooo much time that I no longer had a desire to run. I turn from motivated running beast to couch potato sloth in no time at all.

I decided to take two full weeks off from running to recover, running only when I needed some endorphins that only running can give you. And only for a few miles at a time. Instead during this period I wanted to add in yoga and strength training.

For the training cycle I plan to focus on more quality miles over quantity. I'd like to keep the strength training and yoga mixed in to the bunch as well as speed work, tempos and long runs. Since running 10-15 miles each weekend is super boring, I've swapped out some of the long runs for a tempo run, giving me two speed sessions in one week, but far enough apart during the week that my body shouldn't hate me, too badly.

This flexibility will also help me through start of winter. In the event of a blizzard/ice storm/major cold front, I can hack a 6-8 mile run with mileage at tempo pace, but I cannot hack a 12-15 mile long run.

What are you favorite workouts to do while training for a half? I'm looking for some pep to add to my routine!

Houston Lottery Results

I'm in!! 

I can't wait for another running bestie weekend! But unfortunately I'll need to. Seven months?? That's forever! 

Houston Lottery

Ever since Jenn ran the Houston half marathon in January, I've had it on my tentative schedule for 2015. Now there's the runner Jerbear of years past, planning races eons in advance! 

I've been going back and forth about whether I should run the full or the half. And thus, the reason why I hate race lotteries. I have no idea what my mindset, and more importantly status of my body and potential injuries will be 7 months from now!

There are 16 weeks between the Bemidji Marathon and the Houston Marathon. So I would have time to fully recover from one, before starting an abridged (and much preferred when I'm already in marathon shape!) training cycle. Assuming my body holds up with the mileage I want it to run over the next 16-17 weeks, I could maaaaaybe even try the Pfitz 12/55. 

I could see myself finishing Bemidji and being on runner's Cloud 9, and immediately wanting to sign up to do another one. And I'm still vowing not to race spring marathons, so that's out of the question. And if I'm flying to see Jenn (which is happening regardless of if I get in to the lotto or not, she's been back for a YEAR and I haven't been down to see her. Thanks Megan for popping out an adorable baby to draw her up here!) I surely can't swing an additional trip somewhere, along with additional vacay time from work.

BUT.

I could also see myself finishing Bemidji and just being over marathons for awhile. I've done one marathon a year the last couple of years, and they haven't been pretty. The training cycle is a lot to handle, both mentally and physically. Maybe I won't be able to fathom another 3 months of long-long runs.... 

So that was the conundrum I have been facing as the lottery registration has been on the horizon. Until I did some more looking on the website and realized that you can transfer from one race to the other for a $20 fee, as long as you decide by December 3rd. That's easy enough.

Now I just have to get in!