Week 1

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My Training Wheels

Week 1 of my “training” for the Rock ‘n’ Roll San Jose Half Marathon is complete.  Sort of.

It was sometime last month when it dawned on me that I was set to run 13.1 miles in about four months.  More like hit me in a the form of a mini-anxiety attack.  I was not working out consistently ever since my Napa Valley 5k run in March.  When work settled down and the weather grew sunny, I started to picked up running again in May.  It dismayed me to realize that it’s not the same as riding a bike.  If you don’t use it, you lose it.  The collapsing of my lungs and legs by Mile 2 proved it.

So when June rolled around, I was determined to get back in the game.  I had about 15 weeks until October 4th (HM- half marathon day).  I read Runner’s World articles, asked runner friends for advice, and even swallowed my pride to ask J for his guidance.  I was ready to TRAIN.  Sort of.

This past week, I decided to use this marathon training schedule as a guide (shared by a good friend, who btw, is also running this HM with me).  Let’s just say… even Week 1 was a bit too ambitious for my weak and pathetically-out-of-shape self.  Schedule dictates that the weekly total mileage: 13 miles.  My total weekly mileage: a pittance 7.5 miles.  Gah.

J tells me, as he scarfs down Jack in the Box fries and tacos, “Try not to get so discouraged.  Most people think that it should be easy running a certain number just because they did it before.  You have to get used to the fact that you’re going to have to retrain just as hard as before.”

I exhale in agreement and nab a few curly fries.  After eating three, I resist the urge to indulge in more greasy fried foods (whose idea was it anyway to get fast food?  I think J is trying to test me).

Of course, he’s right.  Nothing that’s worth achieving comes easy, especially when it comes to staying physically fit.  I was just hoping it would be less tiring.

Stay tuned for Week 2.

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Tags: half marathon, nike, training