Training and Racing Update: The Best Laid Plans...

Gosh, I have been lazy, lazy, lazy, and those weekly workout posts have gone the way of the rotary phone.

I blame the weather. It seems that North Carolina thought I needed a weather welcoming committee to feel at home here after moving from PA, and came billowing through with a blustery, cold March. Up until last weekend, I hadn't done a long run (other than the Corporate Cup half) for about a month, and my runs during the week were short and sporadic, and definitely not what I should be doing to get ready for my next half this coming Saturday.

Ready to run

But now it seems that winter's grip has finally loosened, and spring (and my allergies) are bursting here in Charlotte. We've had two beautiful weekends in a row, despite some sketchy weather mid-week last week. But I'll take the gorgeous weather where I can get it right now.

And since the past two weekends have cooperated, I managed to get in an 5.5-mile tempo plus a 10-mile LSD (last weekend), and an 8-mile LSD this past weekend plus a few 3-6 miles runs during the week both weeks, so at least I feel marginally prepared to take on this half marathon on Saturday. Like last time, I'm not expecting to bust out some insane PR or anything. I'm just out to have fun and come in under 2 hours. Fall will be my season for busting out those PRs.

And speaking of fall...remember when I said I wasn't going to do a full marathon this year? Yeah. Well. When I say things like that, you should probably just disregard my babbling because I'm probably full of it. This past weekend, I may have been talked into running a full in Savannah this fall. May have.

So, race schedule revised accordingly. I still want to go for a 1:45 PR in the Myrtle Beach Mini in October, but I removed the Kiawah half and decided to just focus on the Savannah Rock 'n Roll full marathon instead. No goal this year of qualifying for Boston (that's next year), but I'm thinking my goal will be somewhere around 3:50-3:55. That sounds reasonable based on my progress (and all of the months of training I have to go until then).

So here's to spring, running in shorts and tank tops, post-run mornings sipping coffee on my deck, and...allergies in full bloom. Hey, take the good with the bad, right?

Coffee on a spring morning