Every week between now and early May, I will be charting my progress as I train for my next half marathon in Pittsburgh. I’ll post everything about my training from the actual distances to what I wear to how I stay hydrated, nourished and entertained while running.
I just completed week 9 and I’m now in the final week of my 10 week training. The good news is that my left foot is feeling much better. The time off I took from running last week helped along with ice, chiropractic care, and I ordered some new fitted orthotics. I waited too long to replace my old ones and my foot paid the price.
This final week is all about prepping for the race. My goal is to drink lots of water and eat well every day and get to bed before 10 pm every night. My training is down to a taper. At this point, either I’m ready to tackle 13.1 miles or I’m not. My left foot is still tender, so I might not make my goal time of less than 2 hours, but I’ll put that off for a fall race and just focus on finishing this one.
I’ve made a list, so that I don’t forget anything important. Last year, I forgot to pack a short sleeved shirt and race day turned out to be blazing. I ended up buying a shirt at the race expo and I paid a hefty price–at least it was a cute shirt.
My Workouts for Week 9
- Wednesday – 3 easy miles
- Thursday – 6 miles
- Friday – 1 hour of yoga
- Saturday – 10 miles
My Training Plan for Week 10
- Monday – 3 miles
- Wednesday – 5 miles
- Thursday – 3 miles
- Sunday – RACE DAY
I can’t wait to update you next week about the race. Wish me luck!
Have you been training for a race? What distance are you training for? How’s your training going? Let us know in the comments.
Read more:
- My Road to Half Marathons.
- Week 1 of 10 Weeks to a Half Marathon
- Week 2 of 10 Weeks to a Half Marathon | My Must Have Gear
- Week 3 of 10 Weeks to a Half Marathon | What I Wear
- Week 4 of 10 Weeks to a Half Marathon | Hydration
- Week 5 of 10 Weeks to a Half Marathon | Preventing Boredom on the Long Run
- Weeks 6 & 7 of 10 Weeks to a Half Marathon | My Favorite Running App
- Week 8 of 10 Weeks to a Half Marathon | Dealing with an Injury
A note about my training plan: I am not a medical professional or a certified trainer, just an avid runner. Please consult a professional if you feel you need one. Also, the half marathon training plan that I follow is designed for beginners. Although, it is advised that you do not start using the 10 week training plan until you are able to run 6 miles. If you are new to running, start by training for a 5k. There is plenty of information online to help you with 5k training.
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Good luck on your race! My first half is this saturday. Your blog has been very helpful! Thank you! I haven’t gone back through past articles but just wondering what you eat race day morning or if you try anything during the race? I bought a Cliff bar and some Gatorade fruit chews, as I have tried those on various runs during training but I honestly think it will be a just in case option.
Make sure you eat very well the days leading up to the race. About 1 1/2 – 2 hours before the race, I’ll eat a bowl of oatmeal, a banana and maybe some peanut butter toast depending on what my nervous stomach can handle. I will also drink a hydration drink. I don’t eat anything during the half. I do take a drink at every hydration station, usually I drink the Gatorade and then I take a swallow of water too, because Gatorade dries out my mouth.
Certainly take the bar and chews along with you if you feel you’ll need some extra energy. I have never eaten during a half and I’ve been fine, but I am plenty hungry after the race!
Good luck on your race too! And be sure to let me know how it went.