I’m Running Another Half Marathon?!

This coming weekend is my third half marathon of 2013, my fifth in 5 months. When I first typed that line, I sat back and thought… ‘crazy’ and then realized, in so many ways, that word fits.

See, if you would have told me even a year ago, when I was preparing for this race to be my second ever half marathon that I would now be running my 9^th overall, 5^th in 5 months and 3^rd of 2013, I would have told you that you were crazy. I completed one and was still in shock I ran one.

At every start line I am still amazed I’m standing there, and at the finish line, amazed I completed another one. I still feel crazy when I register for a half, crazy that I am going to do it again. Yet I’m proud that my body can do this.

Another thing… in 2010, the idea of running a 5k was crazy… so to think that in 2 ½ years, things have changed this much… it really is crazy. But, it is also comforting to know that changes can be made so that you can accomplish the goals you set.

I thought about, planned, reviewed my training to date, discussed with my friend/run coach and thought some more before officially setting the goal of running 13 half marathons in 2013. I was back and forth on this goal, could I do this physically? Will it kill my love of running? Am I just going to focus on completing 13 or set other goals such as finish times, PRs, weight changes? I then worked out a plan so as not to overdo it too quickly.

So, here I am, a few days out from my 3^rd of this year, on a course that I hold my PR on, looking back in awe at just how different my life is, my body is, my strength is. Proud and humbled of my accomplishments, proud that I have been able to silence the negativity in my head and push myself further than I thought I could go.

A part of me wants to say I am going to run this race for the fun of it, to have fun, enjoy the breathtaking scenery at Lake Mead and run my best. A part of me wants to try my best to get a new PR. I do know this… I need to trust my training. I missed my last long run this past weekend because my knee was unhappy. But, I have been consistent with my training other than that, have two more runs this week and am more familiar with this course than I was previously.

Finishing Six Tunnels last year!