Week One of 1/2 Marathon Training...Check!

This past Sunday, we (hopefully by now you know that by we, I mean, Chica and I) completed Week One of our half marathon training program.  Before I even go into how this week went, I have to say that I am so, so, so, grateful to Chica for taking the time to really research right program for us, a training program that takes into consideration how new we are at this. I originally suggested a half marathon training program that I found on Runkeeper.  Right off the bat it suggested that we run a five miler in the first week.  Pretty scary for two people whose farthest distance had only been a little over three miles. I know that it sounds like I was super lazy and just picked the first program to "pop up" but I swear I was not that lazy.  Have y'all heard of a little invention called, Google?! I did do a Google search for recommended training programs for beginners, and the ones that I found and clicked on seemed very similar to the one on Runkeeper, so I ended my virtual quest and just stuck with the original one.  See, I was not that lazy, though I am a big enough person to admit that I don't remember clicking past the first page of search results, and to some it may seem that my search was mediocre at best.  (Doesn't anyone else get overwhelmed with all of the gazillion results that pop up with every search??!!  I can't bring myself to go past the first or second page.) In spite of my complacency and "giving-upness", we ended up with an amazing training program (thanks, Chica - muah!!!). See below for the training program we are using: 

So, how is it going so far? I am proud to report that it is going pretty f*ing good. This program is gently pushing us to go a little beyond what we think our limits are and what we are capable of with each and every single run.  All week we kept surprising ourselves with small but steady improvements, most of the time we would just gawk at each other in disbelief.  A tad faster pace, less time feeling sluggish and muscles feeling tight, breathing more in control and one of the runs actually felt like "easy peasy lemon squeezy."  It was the second three miler we had to do for week one and that morning's gab session between Chica and I was so "juicy" (what were we talking about that was so "juicy?"...wouldn't you like to know... nosy!) that before we knew it we had completed the run.  What was in actuality a 37 minute run felt like a mere 10 minutes.  A little part of me wished our run would have been longer so we could have kept talking, but I don't love running that much, so it was only a little part of me that wished that.  

Sunday's four mile run required a change of scenery, so we decided we would run it on base, which is located on a cliff overlooking the ocean. One of the greatest perks about living in a beach community is the beautiful, gorgeous and breathtaking ocean views, and we get to enjoy them whenever we want.   With only the bright full moon lighting the way we started our run and soon found ourselves running with a whole unit of Army people getting their fitness tests done, which includes a two mile run. Embarrassing as it should be for the Army, I have to just say that we easily put the majority of them to shame. There was one guy that after finishing his run looked like he was going to barf, pass out and cry all at the same time.  I kinda felt sorry for him and started to yell to his running buddy to keep the poor guy moving and to not let him sit down.  I kept yelling,  "lift your arms it will help you breath."  I have no idea if lifting the arms helps with breathing or not, but I have seen a lot of people do it and it works for me and I did my duty to share this possibly non factual piece of information with the poor fellow. Maybe, not today but sometime soon, I will Google the heck out of "things to do when you feel fatigue and out of breath after a run" just to see what "pops up.". I might even write a blog post about it. Just, maybe...

I wanted to make the title of this post "1/2 Marathon Training and Perspective", and just share some thoughts on perspective in regards to running, but I gotta be honest with you, I don't really wanna right now.  I am kinda tired from the run and my head is a little foggy...

I end this post with a question for YOU:

What do you think of when you hear the words perspective and running? 

Love&Hugs,

Bella