The Columbia Gorge Half is this Sunday! 12 weeks ago I started training for it. Which right now sounds pretty crazy. It's an experiment. I've been curious about the 1/2 this year. What that race is all about, how to train for it and how to race it.
Sarah and the 1/2: A short history
I raced my first half after following a Runner's World training program, which while I think RW has some good stuff, this training program was nothing short of bizarre. I would never follow it again.
RnR Seattle June 2009 1:28
Next I did a marathon and over trained. Had to sit out the month before hand with an injury, ran it anyway with lots of stretching breaks. Took about a year off of running and more off from racing.
Chicago Marathon October 2009 3:25
Eugene 1/2 was next. I didn't train too specifically for the run, but did have a solid long run every week with a tempo day thrown in. Had a terrible side pain, took walking breaks. Vowed to never run a 1/2 after working the expo again.
Eugene May 2011 1/2 1:29
Sally and I jumped in See Jane Run 1/2 this July. Again no focused plan leading up to the race.
See Jane Run July 2011 1:25:24 (current PR)
After See Jane Run, I was determined to end the 'no plan' racing plan. I choose a race about 13 weeks out and started training on July 25th. If followed a rough plan on Cool Running combined with some speed workouts written by my mom (a high school cross country coach).
Whatever the outcome on Sunday, I'm glad I took 12 weeks and made a concentrated effort. It will give me something to work from. Maybe I'll realize I need to do more mileage, more hills, more cross training. At least I'll be able to look back at the work I did and the notes on each day and find the right and wrong of it.
And I'd be lying if it didn't make me a little nervous. 12 weeks! What if I run the same time? What if "the hill" is huge and destroys me and I regret not signing up for a flatter faster course? What if ... blah! And that's the other part of training. Training my mind. The work is done and I did it. The race will go on and the cards will fall where they do. I can't change a thing by worrying about it. I just have to run the race that is out there for me on that day, made of past work and current conditions.
Sarah and the 1/2: A short history
I raced my first half after following a Runner's World training program, which while I think RW has some good stuff, this training program was nothing short of bizarre. I would never follow it again.
RnR Seattle June 2009 1:28
Next I did a marathon and over trained. Had to sit out the month before hand with an injury, ran it anyway with lots of stretching breaks. Took about a year off of running and more off from racing.
Chicago Marathon October 2009 3:25
Eugene 1/2 was next. I didn't train too specifically for the run, but did have a solid long run every week with a tempo day thrown in. Had a terrible side pain, took walking breaks. Vowed to never run a 1/2 after working the expo again.
Eugene May 2011 1/2 1:29
Sally and I jumped in See Jane Run 1/2 this July. Again no focused plan leading up to the race.
See Jane Run July 2011 1:25:24 (current PR)
After See Jane Run, I was determined to end the 'no plan' racing plan. I choose a race about 13 weeks out and started training on July 25th. If followed a rough plan on Cool Running combined with some speed workouts written by my mom (a high school cross country coach).
Whatever the outcome on Sunday, I'm glad I took 12 weeks and made a concentrated effort. It will give me something to work from. Maybe I'll realize I need to do more mileage, more hills, more cross training. At least I'll be able to look back at the work I did and the notes on each day and find the right and wrong of it.
And I'd be lying if it didn't make me a little nervous. 12 weeks! What if I run the same time? What if "the hill" is huge and destroys me and I regret not signing up for a flatter faster course? What if ... blah! And that's the other part of training. Training my mind. The work is done and I did it. The race will go on and the cards will fall where they do. I can't change a thing by worrying about it. I just have to run the race that is out there for me on that day, made of past work and current conditions.