13.1 – week 1

After completing week one of my half marathon training plan, I find myself with the exact same thoughts I had at the end of C25k.

WTH am I getting myself into??

My workouts are Tuesday, Thursday, Friday and Sunday. Tuesday & Thursday are 30 minute run/walk workouts. Friday is a 30 minute walk workout. And Sunday is the Long Run. (am I the only one that instead of just reading long run, sings it like the Eagles? Complete with music accompaniment … in my head of course).

Week 1 went well.    The run/walk interval thing took a little getting used to. I found I could not hear my watch beep for the interval changes … it was drowned out by the sound of the surf breaking along the shore line. (I know, whoa is me.) It was distracting to be paying so much attention to my watch.

I’m not running with my iPod right now, and I actually like it. I seem to be doing a little better in keeping an even pace through the whole workout. When I don’t run with pace music I tend to start too fast and have nothing left at the end. I do still go a bit faster on the out route than the back route, but I think that’s normal. (it is, right? RIGHT?)

My Long Run was only 3 miles. I use the word only not to imply it was easy, but simply because it’s the mileage I’ve been training with for a while now. It felt different using the run/walk. It was after the LR that I wondered (out loud) “WTH am I getting myself into?!”

As I said, it wasn’t particularly difficult, but it was a bit ummm HOT. Temperature wise it was 70 at the end of my run. Add 5-10 degrees for the fact I was exercising, and let’s just add in another 5 degrees because it was a clear sunny So Cal morning.

On the plus side, I seem to have learned a thing or two about fueling my runs. I had a Luna S’mores bar and small cup of coffee (my normal coffee cup is a large Starbuck’s city mug) … this combination was sufficient for my early (but not early enough) morning workout.

I had taken an 8oz bottle of sports drink with me, only sipped a couple ounces of it … I took it more as warm weather precaution. Having lived in the Southeastern US for a while I do take the heat seriously … even if we don’t have the humidity to deal with in Cali. I did stop at a water fountain and splash cool water on the back of my neck. I could not believe how much that refreshed me for the last half mile. But I gotta tell you, the beach showers were looking more tempting than you can possibly imagine around the midway point.

I attached my watch to the strap of my tank top.  Looks stupid, but at lest I can hear it beep now.  Perhaps it’s a fashion statement just waiting to catch on.