Halfway Goal

I'm halfway through the training for the half-marathon at the end of April. Week 5 of 10 is complete, check.

I'm training 3 weeks longer than I did last year for my first Half, and yet this time around feels like it's going by much quicker - and feels much easier.

Last time I was so nervous about not being able to finish, I took my runs slowly and paced myself easily, I didn't care about time I just wanted to finish. It was a huge challenge for me, I'd never done anything remotely athletic and I was basically building up my body from the bottom - I had little muscle from years of being non-athletic, and having a baby turned whatever sort of muscle I had in my body to mush.

I feel much different this time. I was apprehensive about training again, just because it's such a huge time commitment- well, really its a huge commitment all around. But I jumped in and have been feeling really good. As always, some runs are better than others, and some just downright suck...but the feeling of running is addicting and though I may not look forward to every single run, I look forward to the way I feel after.

I feel different in the fact that my body is stronger, and as a result I'm not as tired after my runs, I feel better during the runs, and I'm able to go faster. I'm still not fast. I'm not sure if I'll ever been one of those 7-minute mile people, but I'm considerably faster than last time. For some reason I'm slower on the treadmill, I think it's the lack of oxygen and air circulation and boredom. But on all my runs outside I've been averaging 9:30-minute miles, which took me by surprise the first couple times. Again, not track-star time, but really good for me and I've been able to push myself harder this time around.

So my ultimate reason for this post is to make my goal for this half-marathon official. The last Half my goal was to finish without walking and I completed in a quicker time than I anticipated. This time around my goal is to complete it in under 2 hrs, without walking. That would be shaving 18mins off my previous time. Think I can do it? Let's hope!