Half-marathon training is fully in swing. I'm about 11 weeks out now, and I have a fully planned out training schedule. I'm running 3 days a week, with my long runs on Saturday. The other days I'm doing HIIT/yoga classes, and it's alot. I'm starting to feel strong, but I'm still pretty sore. Running is the hardest, but it's more of a mental hard than a physical hard. Sore I can handle, but 2 miles into every run I want to quit. I don't, of course, but I want to. I have a string of faces I rotate through every time a run hits 3 miles - and it's a consistent method that works to keep me motivated. I think of how much they all believe in me, and how much they want me to succeed. When running for me isn't enough anymore, I run for them. I keep asking myself if I can do this - it feels so overwhelming - but I know that I can. One step at a time.
I'm really ready to lean out a bit more, and so far I haven't noticed too much change in my body. My waist seems smaller, and muscles feel stronger, but I want to see those things when I'm staring in the mirror and I don't yet. I'm staying the course though. As my mileage increases, I'm hoping I begin to decrease even more. It'll make me faster, and probably be a bit easier on this stubborn knee that doesn't want to behave.
What working hard IS helping with is some work stress. My best friends at the office have all seemed a bit stressed out, and I've had my fair share, too. A friend always tells me that stress is self-induced, but sometimes it's difficult to stop from feeling that way. Working out hard after work releases all of that, and I find that if I don't work out, I continue to feel stressed for the night. It is a wonderful release of emotion to get sweaty. That and regular Happy Hours, ha!
On that note, cheers! Now let's all go run and have a beer.
