Training seems to be off to a great start! I designed my own 13-week training plan that progresses from a long run of 4 miles to 10 miles. I’m a firm believer you never *need* to go more than 10 miles as your long run when half marathon training. Unlike the last half marathon I included speedwork this time. Though interval training was dreaded in high school team sports, gosh, they do work and dare I say it, I might find them fun at times. They do break out the monotony of comfortable runs. And they do give me something to look back at and be proud of. Or encouraged by. I’ll feel more prepared come race day. Even if I’m not going for any personal records.

I mean, don’t you like to look back at these charts?

It is also about time to bring the bike out of the basement and to the fresh air. I hope to have a few more rides inside still. It is convenient to watch The Office or a documentary, read a book, or listen to music while sitting and moving my legs. I’m still doing Bikram hot yoga in a studio, resumed that last fall. Since the flowers are blooming, you know I’ll be out gardening or doing yard work and that can count as exercise, sometimes. Might even go kayaking, that’s upper body and abdominals. Let’s not forget about pickleball or tennis as the nets come up.

I will be fitting in area hiking since immediately after the runcation race, we’ll be hiking at all of the parks. Did I mention I started learning the piano this year? It was going well January – March but sadly, I didn’t practice once this month of April. All this to say, I do too much and there are runs only 4 days a week on the training plan. I know if I added more, it might seem too daunting and like a chore. I think 4 (even 3!) days of running a week will be enough, given all the other activities that will keep me busy in the upcoming weeks.

Look, just this past Saturday, I hiked 9 miles.

My week 2 of training went like this:
Monday = 1.3 mile walk on lunch, 3.1 mile run, pickleball
Tuesday = Rest (literally the couch)
Wednesday = 5 mile bike ride, 2.3 mile walk
Thursday = 3.9 mile run (1 mi wu, 8 x 200m w/ 200 m recov, 1 mi cd)
Friday = Bikram 60 minute music yoga
Saturday = hike 5.7 miles, hike 3.3 miles
Sunday = Hot Slow Flow Vinyasa yoga

Am I already making an excuse for missing my planned 5 mile long run on week 2? Nope! It was still an active week. Today was scheduled, “Rest/XT,” and I walked 1.4 miles on lunch, then volunteered at the garden. Here’s to the rest of the week! And my favorite interval training distance, 400m!