Running Plan

Happy New Year!  Well I ended the year yesterday by going for a run and breaking a barrier I have been struggling with.  I ran a half mile without stopping. Then I walked .25 before running the last .25 to complete my first mile.  Boy did that feel good.  I think part of my issues are mental and part physical.  But the mental is the hardest to control! I was able to repeat this effort today but again, it was COLD. But I ended 2015 the way I started and started 2016 the way I want to end it, as a RUNNER.

It was so cold yesterday and my lungs were burning making it that much harder to to catch my breath.

I simply love running on this trail.  It is pretty much straight, flat, and I mostly have it all to myself.  Once in awhile there will be others out on the trail but its nice that I can struggle and cry and celebrate in private. The Headwaters Trail runs 8 miles from Mantua to Garrettsville.  This means I can run on the trail for a huge portion of my training.  I need to divert from the trail every so often so that I get in road miles and some hills now and then but for the most part, the trail is where I will be doing most of my runs..and its basically right outside my front door.

As I said a few days ago I wanted to layout my running plan for the new year. My plan is to be able to run 3 miles by May 8th.  In May I will begin training for my half marathon. I am not trying to kill myself but at times it feels almost impossible.

Breaking my goals down into smaller chunks I am hoping, planning, crossing my fingers and toes but the goal is to run 1.5 miles by the end of January.  Heck, I will be happy to be half that by the end of January as the weather doesn't always cooperate here in Ohio.  As long as I can do 3 miles by May my plan will be on track.

The first 5 months of the year are not to exciting.  I don't have time goals just distance goals. Speed will come later!  Once June hits I have 4 runs a week planned with my first 8k scheduled for June 25th.  That is 5 miles for those of you not into the metric system.  I hope to also be down 15 pounds by then too.

July is just training runs 4 days a week and the August 13 is my first 10k.  6 miles!  That is doubling my May miles.  Seems doable on paper.  Those hot humid months are going to be a struggle.  3 days a week I will be running for distance and the 4th day is for speed work.

September comes my challenges.  9 mile race on the 11th and a half marathon, 13.1 miles on the 24th. After the half I will just be adding miles and losing pounds each week leading up to my marathon mid January.  4 months to double the miles.  Again, on paper this plan seems so very doable.  I just need to believe in myself and I can do this.  I can't think about failure.  I have to only think success.  I have to believe to achieve.