Here we go again...

This weekend started my training for the Anthem Shamrock Half Marathon. I have my plan all written out and I think I can even squeeze in some short races in there and still get in my mileages.

Today was 4 miles. Nothing too exciting, but you gotta start somewhere. Temps weren't too bad, started out at about 41 and overcast. By the time I hit the car, it was sunny and the car temp read 56, but by the time I got home it was down to 47. I was super slow on this run - 55:47, but I wanted to be under 60 and when I got to 3.5 miles I thought I wouldn't hit 4 miles until 56:30 or 57:00, so overall not too bad.  Especially for stopping to pet a cute gray kitty and helping get someone's large, adorable dog back to them. I'm sure that would have shaved off 20 minutes. HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA! It might have shaved a minute off total though.

This week gotta get in some week day runs (30 minutes) and then Saturday I'm going out for 5. Slowly building that mileage up.  Here's what I'm hoping this week's workouts look like:

Sunday: 4 miles
Monday: 30 minute run/30 minute trainer session
Tuesday: Wii workout (thinking yoga)
Wednesday: Gym
Thursday: Gym
Friday: Off
Saturday: 5 miles

Here's to another round of half marathon training!

And so it begins...

Training for the Atlantic City Half Marathon started tonight.  As you saw, I have a whole plan written out for the next five weeks so I know what I'm doing.  It makes life easier for me to know what I have to do rather than thinking about it each day.  I'm also lazy...

So, off to the YMCA we went to get our work out on.  The first thing I hit up was the treadmill.  I decided to walk on the treadmill with inclines.  I like doing inclines on the treadmill.  I realize now I should have pushed it a bit more than I did.  I did an incline routine that automatically changed the incline every 2 minutes, but I should have made the inclines more challenging than 2.5/5.  Live and learn.

Then I went over to the bike for 30 minutes.  Nothing too exciting here.  Did a routine that changes up the intensity every so often.  I usually do a 2/2 ratio, but changed it up to 4/4.  I don't think it made a difference, but it was something different.

After the bike, it was onto the weight machines.  It was a bit confusing because I usually go to the YMCA in the city so I wasn't sure where the ones I needed were at the other Y.  I think I missed two machines.  Eh.  Not that big a deal.  I'm not concerned as one was for obliques and one was for the calves.  I can make that up.

_______________________________________________________

I'm also trying something new with the diet.  I've done WW for years and it's always worked.  But, for some reason I'm having a hard time getting on the band wagon again.  I picked up the Run Your Butt Off from Runner's World and decided to try counting calories again, but based on scientific reasons for the numbers I'm aiming for.

According to my BMR I burn 1486 just by living.  To maintain my current weight, I need 2043 calories.  As we all know, it takes 3500 calories to gain or lose a pound, so I need to cut 500 calories a day from my diet to lose 1 pound a week.  So, I need to be somewhere around 1543 to lose 1 pound each week.  

Tonight's workout burned 516 calories, so I got that covered today.  Though, I haven't managed to make it to 1543 eaten.  I'm at 1299 and ya know what?  I'm probably going to end there as it's just past 9:30 p.m. EST.  While I subscribe to the a calorie is a calorie no matter when you eat it, I just don't like eating after 9:00 p.m. without good cause.  And I can't justify eating more right now just to get my calorie count up to 1543.

Day 2 is my first training run.  Stay tuned!

Happy first day of half marathon training to me!  Today starts the official training for the Yuengling Shamrock 8k and Half Marathon for me.  It seems like yesterday I was crossing the finish line at the Philadelphia Half Marathon (thank God!).  

I'm sticking with Jeff Galloway and his run/walk program.  This time though I am aiming for a program that focuses on time rather than just finishing.  Since I finished Philly in 3:16:20, I'm following the plan that trains you to finish between 2:30 and 3:00 hours.  This plan involves lots of speed training and crazily starts my first long run at 8 miles!  Crazy!

The positive is the program starts before Christmas which hopefully keeps me on track throughout the holiday.  I've got all sorts of workouts planned this month, all piggy backing on half marathon training.  So, here we go!  Yuengling Shamrock 8k and Half Marathon training ho!