Change in Program

116 Days To Go

I'm back! Okay, this dinosaur desktop computer thing is really throwing me off. I am used to working on a laptop that I can use pretty much anywhere in the house, at most any time. While my little monkey plays with his toys in the living room, mama works. Not uninterrupted, mind you, but still consistently sporadically (I love that oxymoron of a term I just made up, "consistently sporadically") throughout the day. However, with my laptop still being held hostage by the geek squad I am forced to sit at my office desk and get in computer time when I can...which is not that often and never without a battle of wills. My computer time usually consists of the little man climbing my legs, emptying the trash basket under desk, crying at my feet, or when I dare try and hold him and work, banging on the keyboard and struggling to find a way to fit the entire mouse in his mouth.....and so is the life of a mother, right?

This week I made a pretty big decision in my training and switched programs. I am now following the Hal Higdon Novice Half-Marathon Training Plan and feel confident in my decision. Why did I switch? Honestly, I can't continue the amount of walking the other program called for. It sounds crazy, I know. I honestly never thought that I would ever say, 'I don't want to walk any longer.' Don't get me wrong, please. I still take walk breaks at times during long runs and I always start and end every run with a warm-up and cool-down walk. But my former training plan had me doing two days of walking intervals, sometimes walking up to four miles, sandwiched in between running. And the walking distances grow as the plan progresses (along with the running distances, of course). Now, I like a nice stroll as much as the next guy - but I just don't have the time for a non-endorphin spiking casual walk. I found myself focusing on everything else I could be doing with the time. I tried to utilize my treadmill during nap times to eliminate the treacherous and mundane walks for little monkey, but soon found myself very resentful that my precious nap time/mommy time was being eaten alive walking on a machine staring at the baby monitor and holding my breath in hopes monkey didn't wake up before I was finished. The comfortable pace of walking also left my mind free to frantically wonder what other gazillion tasks I could be accomplishing that now have to wait until bedtime (which means a much later bedtime for mommy)...grading, cleaning, laundry, writing on this blog, and dare I say - maybe even a little leisurely Internet surfing. I reminded myself of the definition of insanity and decided a change was in order and researched alternative plans. I have a friend who was following the Higdon plan and also a fellow St. Pete runner I met through the blog using the plan and both felt good about the program and seem to be progressing nicely. So, Hal, I'm all yours (at least for an hour or so each morning, that is.)

The plan consists of 12 weeks and there are 17 weeks until the race. By the way, I just choked on my highly-caffeinated coffee typing that...17 weeks seems right around the corner! It's funny how since becoming a mom I measure weeks differently than before. It's like dog years - except one week, now feels like only a couple of days in 'mom-years.' Okay, I digress. Anyhow I am going to follow the plan by doing the first five weeks twice before moving on to weeks 6-12 in order to schedule 17 weeks of training before the big day.

Here's what this week looks like:
Monday: Stretch & Strengthen (check!)

Tuesday: 3 mile run (check!)

Wednesday: 2 mile run or cross training (check on the 2-mile run!)

Thursday: 3 mile run and strength training

Friday: Rest

Saturday: 30 minute cross training

Sunday: 4 mile run