Since day 2 of my being at Blue Cross Blue Shield of AZ I learned that they (BCBSAZ) sponsors a part in the P.F. Chang's Rock N' Roll Marathon-The Tempe Mayor's Run. To learn more about the Mayor's Run, click here.
As a sponsor for the run, my department aimed to drive BCBSAZ participation, since they are the sponsors, afterall. Running in the P.F. Chang's 1/2 Marathon has been a goal for many years. I have singed up twice and even paid my way, but to train on my own, I couldn't do it by myself. It is very hard to motivate oneself to train. To get a running buddy is harder because that other person can let you down. A team of trainers, however, there will always be somebody there!
In September I was invited to participate as a BCBAZ employee is invited to participate, although I am contracted to work for BCBSAZ. I was overfilled with excitement, and immediately signed up.
Then, the first training run I did I felt I nearly died, and it was a 2 mile run. Oh how look back to September, and what I felt then was I wanted to throw up, I wanted to quit, I wanted to die, how could I do 13.1 miles??? I was ready to check out.
But, the next run took place by my parents' house, and I thought, wouldn't they love to see me running along the canal by their home, as I used to power walk many years before. So I stuck it out, and they actually showed up to see me in a training run! My parents are so cute, and I don't mind it at all they saw me at 7:00 a.m. on a Saturday morning, the support was there. I do love it that they offered to make me breakfast after to refuel, that was a plus to these training runs to take place in Tempe, and for me to have some one on one time with my folks, hasn't happened much in recent years.
Then October came, and I was traveling, and major public events began to unfold, which took place on Saturdays, so the training runs began to get few and far between for me. I went from a 3 mile run, to then do a 5 mile run, and still had tinglings to want to back out-I was suffering, and felt deflated.
As these work events stopped happening on Saturdays, I began to pick up, and learned many still struggled where I had left off, and many picked up their stability.
The next opportunity came a few weeks later with a Turkey Trot 5K the Saturday before Thanksgiving. I ended up doing 2 minutes better. On Thanksgiving, at the Turkey Day 10K (still 5K) I did 4 minutes better than the first 5K! I felt a bit of a jolt kick in, and I said let's go bigger!
The trainings have gotten longer, following Thanksgiving I ran an 8 mile run with the training group, and was amazed at my time, and how people were still behind me at the end. People I would've sworn to be ahead of me. Maybe it was getting used to the 5K's so soon and back to back.
Then on December 3rd, BCBSAZ hosted a training run that was 6.5 miles, esentially a 10K. By then I had my new iPhone, and downloaded a program called Runtastic, which calculates how many miles of activity one has accomplished, along with calories burned, average pace/mile, etc. Now I'm getting to feel like a little competitor, at least with my own self. I played my music, set the Runtastic to record, and off I went! I finished that run at 1 hour 30+ minutes. Not bad, but not great, per results of people who attended the P.F. Chang's marathon in Vegas completing their 6th mile at 1 hour. Gave me something to consider.
So, I signed up for the 12K's of Christmas, and I was nervous! But I had one thing in my favor, the race took place at 10:00 a.m., so it would be in the 60's, sunny, and not so freezing. My hope was to do better than I finished with the 6.5 mile training run, and I did 7.5 miles in 1 hour 28 minutes! For me, this was a slight win!
Today came the biggest training run yet, 10 miles! Yeesh, I thought when I woke up, put on my running attire, and hit the US-60 to drive 20 miles to the Tempe YMCA. I got there, stretched a bit, talked to a few people, and off we went per the Mayor's blessing of "Go! Run! Go!"!
I completed the 10.4 miles in 2 hours and 14 minutes. I don't think that is so bad, given there are 4 weeks left until the big race, and I have a few things to perfect. One downside today were my toes on my left foot. They wanted to curl up into a ball and I had to slow down to walk, pause, and stretch them. I don't know why this is happening, it's an uneasy feeling, and makes my whole left leg seize up on me. If it wasn't for that tiny yet major aspect, I might've completed the 10 mile in 2 hours, which is what I was hoping for, yet my Runtastic said I had paused for 15 minutes, throughout the course of that training, which would've been for some pampering of my left foot.
I'll speak to a pro this week at Road Runner Sports, and I might need an insert, which I didn't want when I originally was fitted for and bought my running shoes. They added to the cost of the shoes, and felt uncomfortable. But maybe by now my shoes have my foot's grove, it might be OK to get those inserts after all, for I don't want toe injury, or any injury, if it can be avoided.
What is my goal finish time at the 1/2 marathon? I'd love to say 2 hours 30 minutes, but given this is my first major race like this, I'll settle for 3 hours, and would be happy at 2 hours 45 minutes.
Wonder what's going to take place, and pray all will go smoothly, and I enjoy this amazing experience!
Stay tuned, and thanks for reading my 1/2 marathon training ramblings! :)
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