Run Vegan Run

Wow! Two posts in one day! I'm trying to make up for lost time I guess.

I didn't make the Fort Langley Historic Half Marathon. I did all of the training and did not register. Then, came the taper week, the week before the actual event, and I came to the decision that I couldn't run the event because I wasn't ready. Yes, I could have run the event and finished, but I want to do better than finish, I want to challenge my previous times and I just didn't feel fit enough to do that. I thought that I might improve on my time, but I wanted to feel sure and strong.

Then, just like when I had to cancel my Victoria marathon plans and switch to the half, there was the bummer week, which is when I kind of moped around wondering if I could still do as well as I have previously, and how could I turn this into a fun running season? I really love participating in events so I needed to find a way to participate and compete with myself.

I made a commitment to train harder than I've been training. I started by signing up at our local rec centre's gym and bought a year's membership (now I have to go!). It has such a nice small town feel this gym. It doesn't have all of the bells and whistles like the big name gyms do, but it has everything I need to train and more if I want to. Last week I started weight training again, which is something I haven't done in 2 years! I can't believe it's been so long. I felt great. I'm using Thrive Fitness as my guideline so that I ease into it (if red jane were here...).

My next step was to set up my running season. db and I did some research online for events that aren't too far from home. We want to avoid hotel costs since the registration fees, and my gym membership are costing us enough as it is. I found one in Blaine, Washington called the Birch Bay Road Race that is just across the border and is a 15 k road race at the end of March. I'm already at my 21 k distance so I can add in the strength training and adjust my running schedule to fit this road race. It looks like a pretty small race and a pretty route, so it should be low key and fun.

Then I decided to sign up for a 5k trail run the weekend after. It's my first trail event and I'm really excited and nervous. It's a short distance and I think will be just right to start out with.

So far so good. Next I want to pick a half marathon spring event and then something bigger for the fall. My 2011 running season is looking pretty good so far.