BRM Half Marathon Training, Week 1
Over a week into half marathon training, and MAN am I on the struggle bus. I’m working with a running coach who developed a training plan for me – adding running while trying not to lose too much ground on the Crossfit front. To start with, I’m around 2-3 runs a week, and 3ish days Crossfit, and one day of rest.
The first week was rough. Day one of my training plan called for Crossfit, and my gym programmed Fran (for the non-Crossfitters amongst us, Fran is a notorious suckfest of a workout: 21 thrusters at 65lbs, 21 pullups, 15 thrusters, 15 pull-ups, 9 thrusters, 9 pull-ups). I’ve never done Fran un-scaled before, but my pull-ups have gotten a lot better and I felt it was time I gave it a go. Unfortunately, I’m still TERRIBLE at thrusters, and it took me 9 minutes and 27 seconds of total pain to finish the workout.
It was even worse the next day. I waddled my way through the weekend on very sore legs. And unfortunately, the next two days had my first two training runs (30 minutes and 1 hour, respectively) and I felt pretty committed to at least giving them a go. The weather didn’t cooperate and threw in an ice storm for good measure, so I took to the treadmill. My 30 minute Saturday run was a complete disaster – my legs were so destroyed that I kept tripping and having to get off the treadmill completely. Sunday was a little better, but after an hour on the treadmill my shins felt ready to explode.
To be honest, the week didn’t really get better. After a rest day and a couple days of Crossfit (deadlift PR of 205lbs!!), my next running day was 30 minutes on Thursday, and I went back to the treadmill (I don’t have any reflective gear yet, so even though it was warm outside, I chickened out of a post-work outside adventure). I made it through, though the shins were still feeling rough.
My final run of the week was completed in Florida, on vacation – one hour, outside in 75 degree weather, with a LOT of active support and encouragement from my amazing husband. The hubs is a much stronger runner than me, and he’s trying to train for a bunch of his own goals, so it was motivating to have him running alongside me because I didn’t want to let him down. And I sure needed it: after a few days of eating like crap, plus a lot of leg and hip tightness, our 4.27 miles felt endless.
All in all, my first week was rather demoralizing. Running 13.1 miles feels unattainable right now. Spending the next several weeks slogging through training runs sounds very unpleasant. It’s incredibly humbling to feel so fit (Crossfit PRs left and right) but be so terribly bad at running.
In light of this negativity, I’ve decided to end each training post with some positive take-aways/moments of gratitude/generally upbeat thoughts. Here are mine today: 1) My aches and pains aren’t injuries. I know enough about my body to know when I need to stop and when I need to push through, and I’m mature enough as an athlete to know the difference between discomfort and catastrophe. 2) I’m strong enough to suck at this and not get demoralized. I get embarrassed when I have to walk on a busy street, or when the time on my Garmin seems too slow to post to Instagram. But I’m excited to start to see progress, even if it isn’t in the form of faster times – I’m excited for runs to suck a little less, hurt a little less, and leave a little more space for enjoyment and freedom. 3) My Topo Athletic shoes are by far my favorite running shoes I’ve ever owned. And my new Oiselle “Head Up, Wings Out” hat makes me feel connected to a community of amazing women, all of whom were once beginners. 4) I saw an alligator on my run today. Running is hard, but running in 70 degree weather is definitely better.
