Training Update: Dropping Back
As mentioned a few weeks ago, I had been thinking about scrapping the full marathon this year and just doing a few half marathons instead. And I've decided to move forward with that plan and go back to my original plan of 2013 being all about getting more miles under my legs with the longest racing distance being the half marathon. I'm just not in any way, shape, or form, in the mindset to train for or run a full marathon this year. But next year, I plan to run the Kiawah Marathon in December and the Myrtle Beach Mini as my half next October.
As for this fall's racing schedule, I've got a half marathon next week and I'm heading back to Charlotte for that. It's the Rocktoberfest Half and apparently, the course has been updated and is now the old Ramblin' Rose Half course.
Ramblin' Rose was the site of my first (and most miserable) half marathon experience to date. I despised the course and truly never wanted to run it again. But I've already had plans for Rocktoberfest as a half this fall (before I realized what the course was) and I'm excited to go back to Charlotte and see my running group there. So I'm sucking it up and running this course again, even if it scares the bejeezus out of me.
My game plan for next weekend is to run hard, but not all out. Basically, I'm treating it like a hard, long run but not quite a race, if that makes sense. My goal race this fall is Savannah, and even if it's no longer a full marathon, I'm still looking for a PR there (by a significant time decrease), so I don't want to mess that up by going out too hard at this half. That said, I do fully intend to beat my time from that first half marathon I ever ran, especially because it's on the same course. And I still am hoping for a PR just because my overall running economy has improved pretty much since the half marathons I ran earlier this year, so my goal for this race is somewhere around the 1:50 mark. But I'm saving the race craziness for Savannah on November 9.
And yep, I'm still Racing for the Rescues, and I appreciate every penny donated to help this awesome cause!
As for this fall's racing schedule, I've got a half marathon next week and I'm heading back to Charlotte for that. It's the Rocktoberfest Half and apparently, the course has been updated and is now the old Ramblin' Rose Half course.
Ramblin' Rose was the site of my first (and most miserable) half marathon experience to date. I despised the course and truly never wanted to run it again. But I've already had plans for Rocktoberfest as a half this fall (before I realized what the course was) and I'm excited to go back to Charlotte and see my running group there. So I'm sucking it up and running this course again, even if it scares the bejeezus out of me.
My game plan for next weekend is to run hard, but not all out. Basically, I'm treating it like a hard, long run but not quite a race, if that makes sense. My goal race this fall is Savannah, and even if it's no longer a full marathon, I'm still looking for a PR there (by a significant time decrease), so I don't want to mess that up by going out too hard at this half. That said, I do fully intend to beat my time from that first half marathon I ever ran, especially because it's on the same course. And I still am hoping for a PR just because my overall running economy has improved pretty much since the half marathons I ran earlier this year, so my goal for this race is somewhere around the 1:50 mark. But I'm saving the race craziness for Savannah on November 9.
And yep, I'm still Racing for the Rescues, and I appreciate every penny donated to help this awesome cause!