Back in Training

This fall, I ran two marathons. (Have I mentioned that? No? Didn’t think so.)

And I was the happiest I’d been in a long time. My body and my mind like to run.

But they don’t like winter. I have zero desire to run in the winter just to look badass. I come inside and can’t warm up for HOURS, no matter how warm I was outside. Last spring, I had grand ambitions of PR-ing at the DC Half, and then it got cold and I quickly gave up on that.

After my two fall marathons, I had grand ambitions of going for a spring marathon and a big PR, but then my mom got sick, and I quickly abandoned that and any race ambitions for this spring. (Sidenote: we got really good news about my mom this morning! New York Presbyterian is an amazing place, my mom’s doctor is a wonderful man, and my mom is the strongest woman I know.)

But my coworkers and I signed up for the Brooklyn Half (for the third year in a row together), and I started trying to back out some spring races from there.

I’ll also be running the More/Shape Half in April, and the Cherry Blossom Ten-Miler in early April as part of Anne’s Cheese Team (as I’m calling it.) The last 10-miler I ran was that Cherry Blossom two years ago, and I had stomach issues and a crappy race. I ran the Army Ten-Miler (one of my fave races!) in 2012 just before Marine Corps at a relaxed pace, which ended up being about 8:58. When I PR-ed in BK last year, I ran a 8:17 pace. Though I’m not at a 8:17 pace, I’m pretty sure so long as I have an OK day, I can do under an 8:58 pace.

The plan? Loosely following an intermediate eight-week half marathon training schedule for my long runs (this one looks good) with 1-2 easy runs, 1 speed run (probably Mile High if it gets cold again because I’m a weenie) and 1-2 strength/XT days (here’s 7 awesome ideas for XT).

I’ve already run a few times over the past week now that it’s gotten warmer, and I feel more like myself.

Since the only other thing I do lately is obsess over home decor stuff…

I’m looking really hard at this duvet but I can’t decide if it’s too juvenile. (Although I don’t know when that started bothering me.) Or if this one is too beachy (wait, is there such a thing?)

1. Have you seen any cute duvets on the internets lately? Enlighten me.

2. Are you training for anything right now?

Related posts:

1. More post-race thoughts
2. Half-Marathon Training, or Lack Thereof
3. I Wanna Go Fast!