In Training: Feeling Intimidated & Inspired

As I mentioned last week, I have just started training for my first ever half-marathon.  The race is a little over six months away, and I don't want to waste a single week.

Even though I'm excited about the race, I'm also very intimidated by the distance.  Thirteen point one miles.  That's a long ways.  A chart I read told me, based on my 5K time, I should probably finish in about 2.5 hours.  That's as long as some of my favorite movies!!  How am I going to run that long?  It's a little scary.

I'm so lucky to have a training partner in my friend, Jaci.  This will be her first half-marathon as well. She and I have a private facebook group where we post our workouts (my facebook friends are probably glad they don't have to see these posts), share running advice we gather, and give each other encouragement.  Several of our friends and family are in the group as well and they've been awesome about cheering us on and picking us up when we start being too hard on ourselves.

Over the weekend, I went to watch the marathoners and half-marathoners downtown.  Let me tell you, that was probably the best thing I could have done.  I saw runners of all speeds, sizes, ages, and backgrounds.  As I saw those runners at mile ten and again at mile twelve and the finish line, I was really inspired.  I was also encouraged.  I don't know any of their stories, but I'm willing to bet at least one of them was a lot like me at one point and they completed their race.  It didn't matter if they finished in two hours, three hours, or more.  They were finishers.  That's what I'm aiming for -- being a finisher.

Oh, and I also picked up this bit of advice from one of the other race spectators...

Thanks for the photo, Jaci!

Ha ha ha ha.

If anyone is interested in joining our motivational group -- whether you're a runner, looking for positive support for other workouts, or just want to cheer us on -- let me know.  I'll add you as a friend on facebook and invite you to our group.

Oh, and if anyone wants to come to Iowa next spring and actually cheer me on along the route, I'm definitely going to need that.  I've already suggested to friends that I may need to convince my work eye candy to stand at the finish line to motivate me.  I hope they know I'm only half-kidding.