Hello Icy Hot!

Let me just start out by saying, I'm going to be REALLY sore tomorrow.
How come? You may ask. Well, the answer is simple. I've officially begun my official training schedule for this half marathon. Lord, save us all. Yesterday was the start of my Official training, and I had to run 35 minutes. So, before work, I headed to the gym and hopped on the treadmill. I was rather proud of myself as I managed to run .80 miles before I had to stop and walk. I ran/walked the entire 35 minutes and completed 2.25miles. (I'm intentionally slowing my pace because I am trying to focus on endurance before speed/mileage.) It was a great run! I ended up running about 20 of the 35minutes (on and off, not straight through though).- but all in all, a decent job if I do say so myself. And I do.

Today I was scheduled to run 40 minutes. I figured it wouldn't be much of an issue as it is just 5 minutes more than I did yesterday. No sweat, right? HA! HAHAHAHAHAHAHA!
The first 35 minutes were rather steady. I had my new armband and headphones on with some awesome music playing in my ear and Wheel of Fortune was on tv in front of me. The first 10minutes I was able to run straight through, then I had to walk for a bit. When I had recovered enough, I ran another 3 and half minutes before I had to stop and walk again. Once again, when I had recovered, I started running. This leg, however, I managed to find a comfortable groove and did an easy 8 minutes straight through! (Normally, I can only manage to continue running in spurts of 3 or 4 minutes, so 8 minutes is like a miracle!) I give the credit to Wheel of Fortune. I love Wheel of Fortune and so I instantly got absorbed in the game, competing along with the actual contestants (the ones who get to keep all the money I should be getting for guessing the answers before they do). I was so into the game, my mind forgot to process the fact that I was running! Now, if only I can figure out a way to strap a television to something and have it move in front of me while I run my half marathon. That would be awesome! Just me and Wheel of Fortune for 13.1 miles. It could happen.

Anyway, the point to my whole break down of training is to explain that tomorrow I am going to be sore. I can already feel it happening actually. Those measly extra 5 minutes really did me in tonight. Who would have thought that just going a few extra minutes would be so tortuous on one's body. My entire self feels like one big throbbing mess of hurt. Ugh. Hello, Icy Hot!

I'm not sure how I'm going to make it through Saturday's run (especially because my day is super packed with training and such). The run on Saturday is 50 minutes. Yikes! This shouldn't seem like a lot to me considering I ran the 5k in 47minutes, but as we have learned tonight, sometimes those few extra moments can really do you in. My optimistic side is telling me "You can do it! You've done it before, or at least have come close to it! Think how awesome you're going to feel afterward!" My negative side replies "Shut the hell up. Just stay home and sleep." Which will win this battle, eh?

Tomorrow I have core/circuit/whatever else you choose to call it training for an hour. I'm going to break out my body bands and do some toning and strengthening as well as some ab work and then get on the elliptical as my cardio.