Pre-Half-Marathon Training Begins

Did I get enough qualifiers in that title?

This is exactly what our running path looks like. Except it's shorter, flatter, concrete, and there are no mountains or pine trees. There are also no super-fit runner chicks. YET!

Monday night, Dave asked if I wanted to go for a walk in a nearby park. It was cool(ish) and breezy, so we hopped on his scooter and rode over. The park has a nice level, wide path winding around some soccer fields. After we walked a lap (3/4 mile), Dave suggested we try running. We weren't really dressed for it, but we gave it a go and ran a bit. Clenchy calf muscles caught up with us quickly, so we stopped to stretch, then tried again.

Last night, we got the right gear on and tried again. I did the math and found that 18 laps will cover our half-marathon distance. I shared this with Dave. He told me to stop doing math.

This pre-training is coming at a good time. We're both making great progress losing weight, we're gaining flexibility through yoga, and we haven't (completely) lost our cardio capacity from spring gym trips. But a plateau is coming, and we both need to step it up. I'm proud of Dave for pushing us. And the three friends flying in from NYC and Germany to run the race with us are motivating, too!

So it begins.

What about you? Have you recently tried a new route to fitness? Do you use events to motivate you (like a race or class reunion), or other fitness goals (like better-fitting clothes)? Do you work out alone or with friends?

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