Race Ready

When I got pregnant I was training for a half marathon. My previous two races at that distance had been great accomplishments but poor finishes and I really wanted to train better for my next try. I felt so strong and was about a third of a way into the cycle when I found out I was pregnant. I couldn't keep up the training and eventually stopped running.

While I was still pregnant I had a feeling of loss about that training cycle. That sounds really stupid, especially since I really wanted another baby and I was much more worried about my age for pregnancy then my fitness routine. But still, I had invested a lot in that cycle and it was going so well. So I kept focusing on my comeback that I could get back to how I felt like I did during that cycle. I spent all the time rubbing that thought between my fingers, just trying to move forward until I could try again.

Coming back has been harder and easier than I expected. It was easy to get in the groove again, easy to start training. But it has been more painful than I anticipated. And less linear. Under normal circumstances each run builds on itself and you can feel yourself progressing. But I am stutter stepping forward. I get better one week and then the next every step hurts. It takes a lot of faith to keep moving. I had thought I would try another half in March, no time goal, just completing the distance again would feel like a win. A post baby PR. I had an April race in the back of my head as a back up. By the time it was November I knew that initial race was too much of a stretch for me. It was just too soon. I wasn't able to log the miles, my body wasn't recovering the way I wanted it to. . .Last week I realized that I really needed to get into a cycle if I wanted to do the April race. And it scared me.

I typed up my training plan and started to worry. I just didn't feel ready. Every run seemed scary - even without a time goal. I had actual doubts about finishing.

And then I got an email about a new women's half debuting on a great course nearby. They were even offering a discounted buy in. Sold. That gives me three extra weeks to get ready for my training. I didn't realize that it was weighing on me so much until I changed my focus. Then it was clearing the right decision. Now I am excited about starting out and sure I can finish it. I can't imagine PRing this race so I will still be at the back of the pack. But I can finish. That feels huge at this stage.

Last week was a sluggish one.
4 miles treadie on Sunday - progression run
3 miles HITT on Thursday
6 miles road on Saturday - 1 mile finish on hill repeats