Um, how is there only 4 weeks until my next half marathon?
I am trying not to panic, but truth be told, I’m really nervous. I was so excited earlier this year when I set forth on my training journey which I’m still hoping will lead to a sub-2:00 time (and a new PR), but things haven’t quite gone according to the plan I had laid out for myself.
That crazy thing called life got in the way.
Let’s see …
- Dr. G. traveled quite a bit over the last month or so, which eliminated many of my early morning runs, and even though I have access to a gym at work, things have been so busy that I honestly haven’t had time to sneak away for lunch (which is an entirely different story). So there have been some weeks when I only ran once, maybe twice, and didn’t come close to my intended mileage.
- All those carefully orchestrated weeks of tempo runs and fartleks and hill routines? I’ll be lucky if I end up finishing 20% of them.
- My troublesome glute issue reared it’s ugly head (no pun intended) about a month or so ago, which eliminated my hopes of incorporating hill runs, since running uphill really aggravates things. And now I am dealing with a sore toe (the toenail that I eventually lost after last year’s Run to Remember has never fully recovered). Curse my strange feet and the fact that my second toe is longer than my big toe!
- Plans and commitment and engagements — some of which I was expecting, some I was not, but all of them good — found their way onto our already crowded calendar, which meant I missed a few key long runs (but, seriously, was I going to turn down a girls weekend in Chicago or disappear for two hours for a run when we only had 36 hours together?). And starting next week, we’ll have to factor in Buddy’s array of spring activities (T-ball, soccer).
I know, cue the violins, right? I don’t mean to be a complainer, but I’m not particularly good at “going with the flow” when things don’t go according to plan. Although, I kind of had a feeling some of this would happen, which is why I started training a few weeks earlier than I normally would … sort of like a built-in buffer.
And it’s true that even with all of these bumps in the road, my long runs have gone really well and are faster than any of my long training runs from my two half marathons last year. So the rational part of me is confident that I will be okay. But the nervous, doubting, worrywort side isn’t so sure.
I just have to remember to cut myself a little slack. I’m not a professional runner; running is just one small part of my crazy-busy world. And as I have learned these past few months, life doesn’t stop when you’re training for a half marathon.
So I can only do what’s in my control, and that means trying to give my all and do the best I can over the next four weeks, starting with yesterday’s awesome fartlek run (including .25 miles at a sub-7:00 pace!!!) and continuing with Sunday’s 10 mile road race (the Newport 10-Miler). Maybe a strong road race will be the confidence booster I need?
What do you do when your training plan doesn’t go according to, well, plan?
Krista @ krista Mae's healthy ways says
Stay positive!! You can do it! 🙂
Jessica says
Thanks so much!! As much as I try to, I can’t shake that self-doubt that sometimes bubbles up, especially as I approach race day 🙂 Trying to stay positive!!
jen says
You are going to do great! The child in me still giggles at the term fartlek 😉
Jessica says
I know, me too 🙂
Dollops of Diane says
I have no doubt that you are going to do great in ALL of your races. You are strong, you are resilient, and you are all around awesome. Goooooo Jessica!