Time to get real: Training for my first Half Marathon

Finishing my first-ever 10K (The 40th annual Dexter-Ann Arbor Run back on June 2nd) was a mixed bag. On one hand, it was a GREAT accomplishment. A year ago today, I HATED running. I ran/walked one mile in like 14 minutes, and I thought it was miserable torture to run 1 mile, let alone a 5k. I had completed other 5ks in the past few years, but overall I was overweight and overfed!

Fast forward to Sunday, the day of the Dexter-Ann Arbor 10K, and look at me now! I've run FIVE 5ks, one 5 miler, and one 10k race in the past eight months. I was able to run the entire 10k without stopping (minus quick water break jogs @ 2 stations). Hot damn that is some fine progress!!!

The other side of the coin is that I am currently pretty far from being able to run the 13.1 I've signed up for in October. As I crossed the finish line at my first 10k race, in addition to "Woohooo!!", my other thought was "Dang, that wasn't even half of a half marathon!". This is OK- I've worked hard to get to this point, and I know that progress is incremental. But something I was reminded of this weekend is that You can't expect to reach your goals if you don't put in the specific training needed.

For this 10k, I was hoping for a time of 53:00- that was my 'dream' time. BUT I didn't really have a specific plan on how to reach that time until a runner friend from college reached out on facebook about 2 weeks before the race. While I had been running regularly (6-10 miles a week), it just wasn't enough speed work to get me to my goal time.

In the spirit of informed goal setting for the Freep National Half-Marathon, I have three goals.

Goal 1: Finish the Half.
Goal 2: Finish the Half without walking
Goal 3: Finish the Half in under 2:00 hours.

Goal 1 is very achievable now- I know that I'm currently at a fitness level where I could run/walk a half marathon. Goal 2 is something that I need to train specifically for, and right now, Goal 3 is a shot in the dark.

That being said, I'm putting together my training plan so I can be as prepared as possible. I'll share that in the next day or two as I finish it up! I know that regardless of what my first-ever Half Marathon experience is like, it'll be MUCH more rewarding if I feel like I've properly prepped for it!

Race Schedule- My Plan for 13 in 2013

As I've mentioned, I'm planning to run 13 races this year, or 1 per month, with one extra! Why did I decide to do this crazy thing? Two simple reasons: Motivation. Accountability.

Here's my race list for the year. I've registered for some of these, and others are just races I'm interested in.


It's been fun and exciting to searching for races in the area, decide what distances I want to run, and even set some "stretch goals" for myself. The big GLARING stretch goal on that list is a HALF MARATHON- WtF?!?! The fact that I registered for the Freep Half Marathon is probably a good indicator of two things: 1) I'm crazy! and 2) I have really changed my habits in the past 5 months! As my hubs pointed out, "Last year, you would have been like, 'Run one mile? Nooo!!!'"

I'm scaling up in mileage accordingly, both trying to grow my weekly base of miles run total, as well as building up to be able to run 13.1 miles in. a. row. This week, I ran 12 miles total, and my longest run was a 6 miler, aka 10 km, which is my longest distance run to date; I still have some work to do! Luckily, I have 8.5 months to train. Oh goodie!

Here are links to some of the races I'm thinking about. If you're a fellow Southeastern Michigan runner, or a #runchat buddy from afar who'll be in town, I'd love to run with you- let me know!

Join Me!
Commitment Day 5k
SuperBowl 5k
Shamrocks and Shenanigans
Falcon 5 Miler
Run 4 a Reason
Girls on the Run 5k
Dexter-Ann Arbor Run
MOTTEP Life Walk/Run
Island Lake Sprint Triathlon
Birch Run Charity 10k
Detroit Free Press Half Marathon

I'm still deciding on a training plan for the Freep. 
Any Half Marathon training suggestions, or tips for a newbie?