Today is one month until the Brighton Half Marathon!
And I really really really want to wear this shirt.
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| This is the back of it. |
It's definitely not the cutest race shirt out there. And I keep going back and forth about whether I should have gotten the blue instead of the charcoal. And I almost wore it once even though I haven't technically run the race yet but we all know how those running gods watch me like a hawk.
This shirt has literally been sitting in my drawer for months. I don't know why they sent it with my race confirmation info back in September.
But I want. to. wear. it.
In exactly one month, I will wear the shirt.
But I have to run the race first. Duh!
So during my run yesterday, I buckled down and really thought about what I should be doing. What have I done right so far? What have I done really stupidly? I'm on week 13 of a 17 week plan, and I really want to make the most out of this last month.
I know I shouldn't have time goals, but I'd be lying if I said I didn't have one in mind. I do have one. Kind of.
Right now, my goal is to finish around 2 hours and 30 minutes. Notice the word around. I'm okay with a potential finish above 2:30. Obviously I'm okay with below 2:30, too.
I'll get into specifics as race day approaches. For now, this is just my "one month to go" ramblings.
Yesterday's run was the first time I become Garmin obsessed for the right reasons. Normally I check it and just want to go faster. This time, I checked it to make sure I was staying on pace and not going crazy. Because the number one stupid thing that I do is start off too quickly. I've been the queen of positive splitting recently. I'm not proud of that, but it's true.
For my "around 2:30" finish I have to consistently stay at "around 11:30" for 13.1 miles. Yesterday, all I wanted was to stay "around 11:30" for 5 miles just to prove that I could hold back.
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| Oops. |
Not sure what happened at mile four. Probs thinking about eating chocolate biscuits or something.
The point is, I'm not setting super strict goals until I've had a few more double digit long runs. Lucky for me (kind of sarcasm) those are happening for the next 3 weeks. I know I can go faster than this because I was sort of half-assing that whole "hold back" goal. But I know I could (and probably should) go slower, too. My biggest fear is going out way to fast... It always happens...
On the plus side, I bought new gels!
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| Anyone tried these before? |
After my first 10 miler of death (where I was ready to quit half marathon training and probably just life in general) I realized I need fuel. I tried to go without it for so long. But I can't. These were recommended by the guy in my local running store. Not excited to choke them down but excited to do a double digit run with these bad boys on my side! Maybe I can finish without crawling then....
A few questions:
Do you run with your Garmin during a race or do you prefer to "run on feel"?
Do you try to negative split or run at a consistent pace?
Gel, drinks, chomps, beans, what do you like and why?
Hi Taylor, I just found your blog today! I learned the same lesson about fueling on my 8-miler this past weekend. It didn't even occur to me to bring something on my run until I was about halfway through it. Definitely won't forget it in the future! I use Clif Shot Bloks, only because they're the only thing I've ever tried.
ReplyDeleteGood luck on your 1st half marathon next month! I finished my first last year and will be running my 2nd, the same race I ran last year, in March. Hoping to also run my 3rd...and maybe 4th...and maybe 5th this year as well!
Hiya thanks for stopping by! I definitely won't forget to bring fuel on long runs now, too! I've tried Clif Shot Blocks before but only before a run, never during. I don't know how I'd like chewing on those things while running...
DeleteGood luck to you to on your half in March! I'm hoping to run a few this year, too! :)