Training for a half and summer goals

Summers are gorgeous in this area, and it seems like everyone has come out of hibernation and laced up their shoes.  Running culture is pretty prominent here, and I am constantly hearing my coworkers talk about their race schedules and how they are training for their next event.  They are using apps, books, online coaches, etc.  My company blog has even started a "Get Fit Series".

And everyone once in a while, someone will stop by my cubicle and say, "I heard you're running Wineglass!  How is training going?"

Cue the crickets.

The truth is that I'm not really training.  I'm not following any plan.  I just run when I can, and I trust that by the time Wineglass rolls around, I'll be fit enough to finish.

7:53 and 70 degrees

Do you see that 2 mile split?  7:53.  What?!  I did that?  Excuse me while I take a moment...

Webster Turkey Trot Race Recap

Location: Webster, NY

Date/Time: November 21, 2014

Size: ~2000

Weather: Low 30s, snowing, no wind

Course: Flat roads with slight hills, wooded section for last .1 miles

Charity: Turkey Trot Food Drive

Distance: 4.4 miles (actually 4.14 miles)

Time: 37:51 minutes (gun time); 37:01 minutes (chip time) (9:05 min/mile pace)

Rank: Overall: 735/2,317; Age Group: 47/197

Negative Splits!

Little knives in my lungs

It's snowing where I live, and it seems like it's here to stay.

Honestly, I've been debating whether I wanted to keep running through the winter.  Life has been catching up to me and it has been discouraging to watch myself lose that fitness I gained over the summer.  It would be so easy to just give up, like I have every other year.

Running has infested my brain.

Running has slowly become a bigger and bigger thing in my life, and this was very clear today.

Life is tough...and running makes me tougher.

I have to admit, these last few weeks have been hard.  I recently started school full time, and add an almost full-time job to that, moving twice, and therefore a complete lack of social interactions - life has really taken it out of me, physically and emotionally.

What I think on the treadmill

It has been hot this whole week.  Now, given the fact I live in almost-Canada, my definition of "hot" is relative, but I don't dare go outside, lest I drown in my own sweat.

So I mustered up all my willpower and climbed onto the treadmill.

I hate the treadmill.

But I sucked it up and this was roughly my train of thought:

Saucony Grid Cohesion TR6 Review

Misadventures of the Directionally Challenged

Speed Work on the Track

Progress

Warrior Dash Ohio II Race Recap

Location: North Lawrence, OH

Date/Time: August 9, 2014, 1:30pm wave

Size: Thousands of competitors

Weather: Mid-80s, sunny

Course: Moderate hills, heavy woods, extremely muddy (of course!)

Charity: St. Jude Children's Research Hospital

Distance: 3.2 mi mud run

Time: Not timed, but roughly 1.5 hrs.

Taking a Break

I'm absolutely blown away by my speed.

Run for the Red Twilight 5k Recap

Location: Canandaigua, NY

Date/Time: July 31, 2014, 7:00pm

Size: 500-600 runners

Weather: Mid-70s, sunny, slightly breezy

Course: Small rolling hills

Charity: American Red Cross

Distance: 5k

Time: 28:54 (avg. 9:19 pace)

Rank: Overall: 205/715; Age Group (20-24F): 20/53

I Signed Up for My First Races!

I'm nervous, and worried, and probably going to make a fool of myself, but I am so excited.