Five years ago, I would have (and did) call anyone crazy who decided to run for two hours straight. Why would anyone want to do that to themselves? I didn't play sports in high school or early college, but about halfway through my college years, my older sister introduced me to the Couch to 5K program, and that changed my life.
I started the program one summer, and I distinctly remember struggling with running for five whole minutes straight. After continued training, I celebrated the day I ran for twenty minutes straight! But then, I hit a plateau. I had a very difficult time continuing my progress in the program. I was convinced that I wasn't meant for running, until I learned how to slow down. For new runners like me, it's 100% okay to run at a slow pace! Running at a pace that wasn't killing my lungs got me over my running plateau and into my first 5K!
I started the program one summer, and I distinctly remember struggling with running for five whole minutes straight. After continued training, I celebrated the day I ran for twenty minutes straight! But then, I hit a plateau. I had a very difficult time continuing my progress in the program. I was convinced that I wasn't meant for running, until I learned how to slow down. For new runners like me, it's 100% okay to run at a slow pace! Running at a pace that wasn't killing my lungs got me over my running plateau and into my first 5K!
That's me crossing the finish line of my first 5K race, The Great Race in Pittsburgh. Since then, I've done a handful of other races:
Lately, I've felt the urge to push myself further than a 5K. My same sister who encouraged me early on recently asked me if I'd think about doing a half marathon with her. Half marathon! That's 13.1 miles! ...Why does that sound interesting to me?
So I told her I'd do it! I'm still in the early stages of it now, but I'm excited to take my running* to the next level.
* My sister, like myself, was never a runner when she was in high school/college. She discovered a strategy to make distance running more manageable: It's called the Galloway method, which is just a fancy term for "Run-Walk". Our plan is to "Run-Walk" the half-marathon by alternating 4 minutes of running and 1 minute of walking the entire time. It is a tried-and-true method for completing half marathons in an upright position, so why not?
So I told her I'd do it! I'm still in the early stages of it now, but I'm excited to take my running* to the next level.
* My sister, like myself, was never a runner when she was in high school/college. She discovered a strategy to make distance running more manageable: It's called the Galloway method, which is just a fancy term for "Run-Walk". Our plan is to "Run-Walk" the half-marathon by alternating 4 minutes of running and 1 minute of walking the entire time. It is a tried-and-true method for completing half marathons in an upright position, so why not?
Our training plan
Here's the training plan that we came up with. We took a look at a few different options "out there", and adapted it for our schedule and skill level:
CT: Cross Train, SS: Stretch + Strength Train
I recently cancelled my gym membership, so I don't have access to exercise bikes or gym equipment anymore. In terms of CT & SS, my plan is to try a combination of yoga, PiYo, and Pilates.
My current addiction is "The Yoga Collective", an online subscription website to a variety of yoga classes taught in a real studio with real people.
My sister is currently a fan of PiYo, a Team BeachBody product, which is more of an intense combination of yoga and Pilates (I was sore after the first lesson!).
I recently cancelled my gym membership, so I don't have access to exercise bikes or gym equipment anymore. In terms of CT & SS, my plan is to try a combination of yoga, PiYo, and Pilates.
My current addiction is "The Yoga Collective", an online subscription website to a variety of yoga classes taught in a real studio with real people.
My sister is currently a fan of PiYo, a Team BeachBody product, which is more of an intense combination of yoga and Pilates (I was sore after the first lesson!).
I have always enjoyed the popular Pilates apps provided by Kira Elste. She's an absolutely wonderful instructor who makes you feel totally capable - whatever your skill level! So we'll see how it goes! I'm currently only halfway through week 2. I'll try to provide an update on my progress halfway through the training! Wish me luck! |