Half marathon training update

April 13th is right around the corner. 

My training calendar says this is supposed to be the toughest week of training with the longest miles on the road. I guess it really says this is my peak training week. But I have to admit something i don't feel the pain anymore. It's week six of this intense training and my knees don't ache. It doesn't hurt to walk up and down stairs as much. (Except immediately after a run). The breathing during my runs is easy. The hills don't seem as hard to climb... No matter how steep or where they fall along the way. No more leg cramps or shin splints. 

   I really feel great. I thank God the pain is gone. This Nike plus coach feature really works. I just kept at it through the pain. I took tylenol once or twice. I used KT Tape to support my knees. 

     I'm no doctor but I really feel like all the pain was from the muscles in my legs getting stronger. The KT Tape's job was to be that strength until my muscles could catch up. Now I'm caught up. My knees no longer buckle unexpectedly. 

    I've learned a lot over the past six weeks. 

     1. Keep your shoe laces tight. (Or wind up with shin splints)

      2. Hydrate ( it's serious. I almost bought a fanny pack-like water bottle holder. I just have one that attaches to my hand. )

   3.  Rest. One thing that I read somewhere stuck with me. Sometimes the best long distance runners may look lazy,... But they're really good at resting. "If you can stand why walk, if you can sit why stand, if you can lay down why sit. 

   

  That means my pace time is starting to drop as well.  

I had to go through a painful process to reach my goal.  I have reached that goal yet,... But I'm so close I can taste it and it's nice to look back and see how that process has helped/shaped and molded me. Let me stop before I start dropping scripture. 

   All of the time and energy put into this one race is enormous. 

   So, 5 miles today, 13 miles on Saturday.... Then I think most of my other runs are 5 miles and below ( except for 7 and an 8 miler.) PRAISE YOU JESUS!!