Goal

About 10 years ago, i trained for the Marine Corps Marathon. I joined a group of people from the hospital i was working at (back then it was simply Arlington Hospital. The summer before 9/11, the name changed to Virginia Hospital Center. It's still just "Arlington" to most people). Myself and some L&D nurses, OBs and anesthesiologists plodding along the W&OD trail. Great memories of Doug and me running the long runs down Shreve Road in Falls Church (such a supportive husband i have). I got up to 18 miles and then, well, my right knee just couldn't take the abuse anymore.

I iced. I rested. I saw a (useless) orthopedist who told me after a cursory exam that nothing was wrong with me. I took  loads of time off. And to this day, whenever i run, should i get up to just 2 or 3 miles, the pain in my knee is still there. I realized in hindsight that i didn't train "right." I sort of warmed up. I stretched a little. I ran. I kinda stretched after the run. And that was that. Today i know that i should have been paying great attention to stretching and strengthening. (AND i should have seen a PT, not an ortho).

So. Armed with that knowledge (and a KILLER foam roller. This one, to be specific. Oh. The pain!), i have a goal. I need a goal. That is a different post and maybe should have preceded this one. But, suffice it to say right now, i just need a goal. And that goal is to run the Dallas White Rock half-marathon on December 4th. After the disaster that was my marathon training years ago, i have said that i have no desire to run any more than 10 miles. (And 10 miles has seemed unattainable with my dud of a knee). The Army 10-miler leading up to the Marine Corps marathon? Perfect distance. I have said that human bodies just aren't meant to run much further than that. Well. I'm gonna eat those words and go for it.

As of today, i have 12 1/2 weeks to train for this half. I have a 12 week program a-la Hal Higdon. I've mapped out my plan. I started the training this week so i can work out the kinks and see what works for me and will repeat Week One next week to officially start my mad mad plan. I realize "everyone" is running these days and a half maybe isn't all that impressive and it would be nice to be doing something sort of different. But, a runner i've always been and i want to be one again.

My plan is this:

• Mondays: technically, per Hal, a rest day. Yoga and light weights.
• Tuesdays: 3 mile run
• Wednesdays: 3, 4, or 5 mile run 
• Thursdays: 3 mile run and RLAM strength training
• Fridays: rest day
• Saturdays: long run (starting with 4 and add a mile each week) or cross train
• Sundays: cross train or long run

I'll be updating my runs/workouts here as a sort of accountability to myself. For right now, I ran 3 miles on Monday (walked a bit after one mile and a smidge after mile 2). Yesterday I ran 2 miles and did the RLAM strength training workout followed by lots of rolling of the legs and glutes. Today i went to my very first ever yoga class (i've always preferred pilates, although never tried yoga). It was my intention to do some weight training after yoga but instead went to Costco and lifted a tub of dark chocolate covered pomegranates (repeatedly).

My knee started bothering me after just a mile on Monday's run. I'm trying not to get discouraged. I'm going to strengthen those supporting muscles (hamstrings and glutes especially) and focus on stretching and hope that i can make it stronger and get back to running for real. I'm also trying this stuff.

I'm excited to be running this half with my friend Kristen. My pal from Colorado who hails from Dallas. Awesome.