Spiral Half Marathon Training
Posted: Sun Nov 13, 2011 8:59 am
This is my journal of all of the things I am doing (and thinking about doing) in order to complete my first half marathon on May 5th of next year.
I live in Indianapolis. And the half marathon held in early May of each year is the most attended half marathon in the country, with over 30,000 people participating. It gets filled up about 5 to 6 months in advance, which is why I signed up early.
I welcome the comments and thoughts of others in this journal, especially those who doing an exercise program that could in some way be relevant to what I am doing. In other words, if you have decided to train to run your first 5k race or ride in your first biking or swimming competition or if you have been running, swimming, biking, mountain biking for a while, I welcome your comments. Also, if you know someone who participates in activities like those I described, I welcome your comments.
Some background on why I have decided to run in a half marathon.
I have never been a runner at all. I have often thought of running as boring and I have often thought of myself as a slow runner.
But about one month after I started on the McDougall diet (about one year ago), some relatives of my mine mentioned that they had just completed an Olympic Triathalon, which involves swimming, biking and running a 10k consecutively. They then said that they wanted to invite the entire family to participate in the Turkey Trot 5k race held on the morning of Thanksgiving in California. I decided to run in this 5k and despite a slow 11:35 minute/mile pace, I was hooked. I wanted to run more 5ks and improve my speed.
But whenever someone found out that I have become "a runner," they would ask, "Are you doing the Mini?" The Mini is the short name for the very popular half marathon held in early May here in Indianapolis. My response was always, "I only run in 5k races, some 8k races and maybe a 10k race. But a half marathon is way too long. Not good for the joints. Hard on the body. I enjoy my 5ks."
Well, I have finally given in. The "Mini" just seems way too exciting. Part of the 13.1 miles is a 2.5 mile run around the Indianapolis 500 race track (which is apparently very boring because the scenery does not change and you are running on a slope).
So, I'm in. I have signed up and paid my money. I have about 5 to 6 months to train.
I will be running in the Jingle Bell Run 5k race in early December. And I have already signed up for a 8k race which is two weeks before the half marathon. I figure that I won't start training for the Mini (half marathon) until after I am done with the Jingle Bell Run, four weeks from now. I'll have to figure out how to modify my training program for the half marathon in order to run the 8k.
But I'm excited and, again, welcome comments from others. Tips and what not.
I live in Indianapolis. And the half marathon held in early May of each year is the most attended half marathon in the country, with over 30,000 people participating. It gets filled up about 5 to 6 months in advance, which is why I signed up early.
I welcome the comments and thoughts of others in this journal, especially those who doing an exercise program that could in some way be relevant to what I am doing. In other words, if you have decided to train to run your first 5k race or ride in your first biking or swimming competition or if you have been running, swimming, biking, mountain biking for a while, I welcome your comments. Also, if you know someone who participates in activities like those I described, I welcome your comments.
Some background on why I have decided to run in a half marathon.
I have never been a runner at all. I have often thought of running as boring and I have often thought of myself as a slow runner.
But about one month after I started on the McDougall diet (about one year ago), some relatives of my mine mentioned that they had just completed an Olympic Triathalon, which involves swimming, biking and running a 10k consecutively. They then said that they wanted to invite the entire family to participate in the Turkey Trot 5k race held on the morning of Thanksgiving in California. I decided to run in this 5k and despite a slow 11:35 minute/mile pace, I was hooked. I wanted to run more 5ks and improve my speed.
But whenever someone found out that I have become "a runner," they would ask, "Are you doing the Mini?" The Mini is the short name for the very popular half marathon held in early May here in Indianapolis. My response was always, "I only run in 5k races, some 8k races and maybe a 10k race. But a half marathon is way too long. Not good for the joints. Hard on the body. I enjoy my 5ks."
Well, I have finally given in. The "Mini" just seems way too exciting. Part of the 13.1 miles is a 2.5 mile run around the Indianapolis 500 race track (which is apparently very boring because the scenery does not change and you are running on a slope).
So, I'm in. I have signed up and paid my money. I have about 5 to 6 months to train.
I will be running in the Jingle Bell Run 5k race in early December. And I have already signed up for a 8k race which is two weeks before the half marathon. I figure that I won't start training for the Mini (half marathon) until after I am done with the Jingle Bell Run, four weeks from now. I'll have to figure out how to modify my training program for the half marathon in order to run the 8k.
But I'm excited and, again, welcome comments from others. Tips and what not.