Half Marathon Training 2023

Over the last few weeks I have been thinking a lot about not only signing up for a half marathon, but also my athletic potential. Something inside of me has been ignited and I am listening to the desire to go BIG, train harder, push myself, and see just what this beautiful strong body can do! I have always been a competitive athlete and that competitive side is coming back strong and I want to acknowledge it, feel it, and pursue it. It is a really really EXCITING feeling to have again and I am so here for it. 

First up is my half-marathon in two years! The passion to run disappeared for a while and I mainly focused on yoga at The Works, the StepMill, strength training, and walking. I had no desire to lace up my shoes and run and it REALLY irritated me. I didn’t push it. I accepted it and hoped the feeling of running would come back. Two years is a long time, I still remained patient until this past weekend I said to myself it’s time to lace up, sign up, and JUST DO IT! I lit that fire under my own ass and now here I am in the first week of marathon training ready to GO! 

My training program is 12 weeks long. It obviously involves training through the winter months (I hate the COLD), lots of travel plans, wedding planning, so this journey could be a little interesting, and unpredictable, but I am ready for it and I am going to share a lot of it as I tackle this athletic adventure, because it’ll be fun, motivation, honest, and the real deal. There are definitely going to be ups and downs and I am already accepting of that. I just want to give 110%, try new things, and just enjoy the journey, because who knows what is next!

With that being said, this is what I am focusing on for the next 12 weeks…

FUELING PROPERLY

I have my work cut out for me to make sure I’m properly fueling this body and I'm honestly 100% ready for it. I know that at this point in my life and at my age, I have to do this the right way, because I want this body to be strong, agile, and functioning like a rock star in my old age. Restriction is NOT the way to go, so this half marathon is going to test me at points, but with all the knowledge and tools that I have right now, I am in a good place. I am open to adding more calories, more protein, and being more open to eating varieties of food. My gut feels good. Things are moving along regularly. Now it’s time to fuel up, so I can run faster and stronger.

Hydration is also key, because training in the winter months we forget to drink the same amount of water, because we aren’t sweating as much! I typically drink 68 ounces of water before lunch, because if I drink water all day, I’m up peeing all night. Small bladder problems…ARGH! But as I increase the mileage, I will drink more after those runs and maybe start adding hydration packets again. I need to find some that don’t have all the crap…Any suggestions? Please leave in the comments below!

SELF-CARE

Invest in myself! This for me can mean a lot of different things, but since I am not a college athlete anymore, with a body that could still train double sessions off cafeteria food, Natural Lights, and late night Papa John’s pizza with ranch,  I am much more aware of what my body needs, how to train it, how to feed it, how to be successful. Right now, I am looking at it like a piece of art, but also a machine and she takes lots of work, love, and self-care.

So over the next few months, self-care will include deep tissue massages, updated running and fitness gear (which I will give reviews and updates along the way), a facial, more social events, since I run alone, the human connection off the pavement will fill me up, and let go of some of my old “food rules” that have a tendency to linger. I am training hard and I just need to let go of the control and just be. Sometimes easier said than done, but why not now. It’s going to be a new year in a few weeks and the perfect time to start a new chapter!

EMBRACE THE REST DAYS

Just chill Katie…Embrace those rest days and do NOTHING! You can’t workout like a beast 24/7…You need to rest to recover to build to get stronger…You can do it…Take the chill pill and trust the process! I talk to myself a lot and taking rest days is going to be so important for me, no matter how restless I get along this journey, it has to HAPPEN! I’m not a dummy, I know how important they are, but I just need to let those “old unhealthy habits” sneak up! And I have to say lately, when I have taken my rest days, it helps to have a good book, some trashy shows to catch up on, and delicious takeout. I’m slowly but surely turning a new leaf and I will continue doing so, until I truly embrace REST DAYS!

DON’T OVER DO IT

I’m notorious for overdoing it and pushing myself too hard and then all of a sudden, I crash HARD and my body says enough. I don’t want to do this and it’s going to take patience, grace, following the training program, and 

RUN, YOGA, LIFT, WALK

I am going to keep doing ALL four, but obviously the main focus and commitment will be getting in the miles and following the training plan. I am going to cut back on yoga, because the heat and high intensity can be taxing on the body, and I want that energy for my runs. Continuing to lift is 100% NECESSARY for all the things. The only tweaks I will make will maybe focusing more on repetitions rather than increasing weight, but I am going to feel it out as the mileage increases. Walking, because Lucy needs to get in her exercise, since she doesn’t run on the leash with me, and I need the walking for the soul work. 

My goal is to focus more on the running, listen to my body, and not give up on the other training that fills me up and makes me feel good. It is going to be touch and go and seeing what works, what doesn’t, but more importantly what is making me strong during the run. Stay tuned…

I hope you will follow me along this journey into 2023. It’s going to be WILD!

xoxo