Did I tell you that I’m training for a 10-mile road race this fall?
Right here in my very own Lynchburg, VA, we have an annual road race called the Virginia 10 Miler. I believe in big goals. When I set big goals for myself, I’m more likely to stick with the training plans. I did this race last year, and I had so much fun training for it and running it that I knew I needed to do it again. This time, I’m working toward finishing the race with a much faster time.
Here’s the thing: I’m a slow runner. I mean, I’m slower than Internet Explorer on a 90’s dial-up connection. I’m also definitely a strong candidate for Team Sloth. My kids claim they can walk faster than I run (I disagree with that one, but we can let them think that). I know that I’m not likely to win any races in the near future. But really, that’s all okay.
Why running, though? I chose running because the investment to get started was minimal. All I really needed was a decent pair of running shoes. It was also something that I could do with my kids around. In fact, my first training sessions last year involved me just running up and down my street while my kids played outside. This year, we’re a little bit older and we can stay together better. Now, my kids get to bring a set of wheels, and we all visit one of the running parks nearby to train.
This year I’m training with Audible’s half-marathon training program by Katie Barrett. I love it! Hearing her encouraging voice throughout the runs has been a great way to get back into running this summer. Katie filled in many of the blanks I had related to how to train, nutrition, and building up to long distance mileage. I knew I could accomplish the 10 mile run because I did it once before. Now, I’m even more confident as I work on my speed. This training program has taught me how to enjoy the run far more than before. I still don’t enjoy getting up early to run, but I’m enjoying the runs much more now that I have better direction.
You may be asking yourself if you should get into running. It’s a great way to be active, and I really like that I can do it with my kids (mostly). As a stay-at-home and homeschooling mother, my kids get dragged out to most things, including my runs. At times, it’s a bit like running with an anchor, though. If you’re willing to work with that fact, then running is a great physical activity to do. Set a goal for yourself, though. If you try to do anything without a goal, it will be far too easy to quit.
So what’s my big goal this time? I’m shooting for an average 10-minute mile across those ten miles. Experienced runners out there are rolling eyes at that goal; I know it’s still pretty slow. Still, it’s a challenge for me, and I’m not worried about what anyone else thinks on this. I’ve got a lot of time to cut off of my current average speed right now. Fortunately, that Audible program is showing fruit already. As I track my workouts with MapMyFitness, I can already see my average mile time dropping little by little. I’ve still got 90 days to train for this run, so I’m not worried. Here I come, race!
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Do you want to check out Katie Barrett’s training program for yourself? Right now, you can take advantage of a FREE 30-day trial from Audible. Click here for more details.
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WanderingQuail 