Buffalo Creek Training Week 1

I'm so excited to say that half marathon training has officially started!! I've always loved training for races, but I don't think I've ever been this eager to get going.  I have such a great base built up from the past few months, and I'm really optimistic about my race goals.  Best way to start off a training cycle, right?!

Here's a look at how my first week of training went, which started with a mini vacation to Cincinnati:

Monday

3 miles / 10:00 pace

We got to Cincinnati, and I ran in my hotel's gym before we headed to the tennis tournament.  I had to wake up around 6AM to get my run in,  but I couldn't skip my first run of my training schedule!  After my easy run on the treadmill, I completed the "Dirty Dozen" core exercise that's included in my training plan.

Tuesday

Rest Day!!

After being out in the sun from 7AM to 10PM and having to get up early again, the last thing I wanted to do was go for a run.  So, I took a rest day!  I figured all the walking we did at the tournament and walking up and down the stadium steps (and watching people play tennis) counted as a workout..right?!

Wednesday

3 miles / 9:31 pace

Got home from my trip to Cincinnati and forced myself out the door for my easy run today. It was super hot and sunny by the time I started and I was exhausted from the long drive, but I did it! Definitely felt better as the run went on.  While we were in Ohio, I picked up some beer from Trader Joe's (in Pennsylvania, the stores don't carry alcohol), so I bribed myself to run by treating myself to a cold beer after I finished!  Whatever works!

Thursday

5 miles / 8:37 pace

First speed session of my half marathon training! Today's was fun and not too hard- 1 mile warmup, then 5x (2 min fast, 1 min slow, 1 min fast, 2 min slow), and a half mile cool down.  This was my first day back at work and I got the run done beforehand, so I definitely started out tired and sore but warmed up and kept feeling better as the run went on.

Friday

Rest Day!!

Felt great to take another rest day.  I started a new yoga challenge on the website Do You Yoga, which was a nice, quick flow.  Nothing too challenging, but great stretches!

Saturday

7 miles / 9:28 pace

I met up with Jessie and Jessica for the first long run of my training cycle!  Jessie is also doing the same half marathon, so we are being accountability partners during training and getting together for speed work/long runs whenever we can.  It was great to have two people to meet up with so I had motivation to get up early and finish up my run in the morning.  I ran 5 miles with the girls, then finished 2 by myself.  I wasn't feeling the best, but we talked constantly so the miles just flew by and we ended with a great pace!  After I got home, I completed another Do You Yoga video targeting the hamstrings, which felt AMAZING after a long run.

Sunday

5 miles / 10:38 pace

I did this run with Maddie, who was doing her longest run ever (16 miles!!).  Luckily we kept the pace easy since I was a little sore after a full week of training.  It was really foggy and humid out when we ran- so humid that the air was almost like a mist and I looked like I was in a rain storm when we finished!  Luckily it was a cool morning (in the 60s) so it actually felt kind of refreshing.  When I got home, I did a Runner's Cool Down yoga video, which had some great stretches.

Who else is training for a fall race?!

Do you love or hate starting a training cycle?