Wednesday, December 08, 2010

Half Marathon an Inch at a Time

It is time to get this blog fired back up. No need to change the name. An Inch an Hour seems appropriate for my next personal challenge.
Last week I decided to sign up to run the second annual Plattsburgh Half Marathon.
My longest run, so far, has been the 8.4 mile Race the Train run from Riparious to North Creek, N.Y.
I should be able to run 13.1 miles right?
I don't know. I have a ten-week training plan that should start sometime in January. I haven't backed it up from the date of the half marathon yet (April 17).
Until I do, I am just trying to do something every day.
Saturday, Dec. 4, I ran in the Frostbite 5K in downtown Marion. Sunday I did an hour on the eliptical while watching the Browns wear down the Dolphins.
Monday was a rest day.
Tuesday I did an hour of gut busting yoga (seriously - it was brutal).
This morning, Wednesday, I ventured outside for a 3.1 mile run (run is my word for what I do).
As usual, I am going as low tech as possible. I will have to break down and buy a pair or two of decent running shoes and maybe some cold weather gear.
Today I ran with the shoes I bought last summer - which are OK, but I am not in love with them - a tech shirt, a long sleeve T-shirt, a fleece pull-over, some fleece pajama bottoms (Homer Simpson suitable apparel for shopping at Wal-Mart), cotton sweat pants, a touque, a scarf, some Marion Star gloves and a pair wool mittens that used to be the liners for a pair of deerskin mittens I used to wear in the woods in New York.
It was 11 degrees out and I completed my run in 37:23. considered the clothing and the snow on the ground and my lack of extra effort ( I was just amazed I was out there), I consider it a pretty good start.
I need to lose some weight before the real training begins, but I have been reluctant to step on the scale.
Maybe tomorrow.