8 Mile Run while Training for my Half Marathon!

As many of you already know I am currently training to run my very first half marathon in Hyannis. It is hard to believe that I will be doing this in only 35 days! I am beginning to get excited, nervous, antsy, doubtful, and happy about it all at the same time! I feel confident sometimes, and I just try to hold on to those days.

I felt very confident after my long run yesterday! I headed to the gym because here in Massachusetts we have been having the worst weather ever. First it has been bitter cold like in the single digits and there is so much ice and snow everywhere. I love running outside, but I cannot risk a fall on black ice this close to my race. So to the treadmill I went. I figured out how to win the mind game of the treadmill. I brought down a magazine and covered the miles and timer. All I could see was the buttons to adjust my speed.

This helped me a lot. I was not looking at the mile counter and thinking man, I have 7.2 left to go, now 6.8.... etc. I think this is my main problem with the treadmill, it gets repetitive and boring and you know exactly how much farther you have to go. It is also restricting. I look forward to running for the free feeling and I do not get as much of that on a treadmill inside of a gym. But the training must continue and I am thankful that my condo complex has the small gym and 2 trusty treadmills!

So off I went, I started a bit slow. For me during a long run, again the first mile is always the hardest. During that first mile the doubts and the why am I doing this, are always are there in my mind. Once I get past that first mile and get into a rhythm I am good. It is smooth sailing for me. Miles 2 and 3 were fairly easy I was on a good pace. I paused for a quick drink of water and the 30 seconds of walking in between 1.5 mile marks. I am kind of working on my own style taking the short walk burst breaks. It works for me.

By the time I hit 6.5 miles I slowed down for my walk and sip of water and I turned the treadmill back up to a fast pace. All of a sudden I got a slight light headed feeling. I felt for 20 seconds that I may have to stop for fear of passing out. I kept checking my HRM to make sure I was not racing and I was not. I am not sure what it was but it passed quickly and I was off to finish my long run.

I finished 8 miles in 77 minutes and 30 seconds. I felt awesome, amazing and in that moment something inside me knew, just felt sure that in 35 days I would be able to complete that half marathon and be ok. The confidence running gives me is amazing and its helping my weight loss goals as well. I looked at my Polar heart rate monitor afterwards and I could not believe I had burned 807 calories on the run!!!! That was exciting.

So onward I go! This week will bring some short runs and then again a nice long run this weekend. Hopefully one of them can be outside :)