I’m one of those people that is either going full speed or not moving. I don’t have any gears in between, which doesn’t work very well when coming back from an injury. My mind says “slow down” and “gently increase mileage” and my body says “sprint up this hill,” “pick up the pace,” and “no need to walk.”

I know I should be running at a much slower pace and mixing in walking to decrease the stress on my body (which has been very clear in the past that I was pushing too hard too fast), but once I put on my shoes and I get outside, all of those rational thoughts fall away.

But I know that the only way to reach my goal of finishing my half marathon in October is to slow down and learn to be rational while running and take preventative measures like walking even if I feel great when I’m running. And all of the hills along my long run beach route sure do help make walking seem like a great idea.

Part of getting myself to let go and slow down is to run by time instead of miles. I’m following a modified version of Lululemon’s Sea Wheeze training guide, and three of the four weekly runs are by time. This mean that when I’m walking I’m not focusing on how many miles I have left and how long it will take, instead I am still outside doing what the training guide told me to do, moving in a forward direction for a specific amount of time.

Mixing in walking has actually made my runs more enjoyable, and now that I have finished a nearly 7 mile run, hills and all (something previously thought impossible) I’m feeling stronger and more prepared. Now I just need to make it through my 8 mile run next week.

When I signed up for the Nike Women’s Half Marathon I envisioned myself training for six months and then running the entire thing without stopping to meet an impressive time goal.

That idea has passed and it has set in that I am facing a new reality. With a knee injury that kept me from running for 2 months and then a foot injury delaying my training another month, I am extremely off track. Now that I have my knee and foot better, my shin is acting up from starting to dive into training too quickly, which has yet again left me with my running shoes on the floor and my feet up on the couch.

I’m not the kind of person that handles setbacks or delays incredibly well. When I have a plan I expect to follow the plan to the t and meet my every goal. Now, 10 weeks before my half marathon it’s time to realize that it’s too late for that plan and accept my reality. The good news is that my friend that I am running the race with is fully supportive of the new plan, which involves just enjoying the race, taking it slow, and running and walking as we feel like it.

And you know what, I think it’s actually for the best. I want my first half to be for the experience so next time I know when it gets hard, I know how far I can push myself, and I know what to expect from myself and the beast of 13.1 miles. So maybe I won’t have my grand finish and my time won’t be anything to write home (or here) about, but it’s still going to be a blast. So instead of stressing about being months behind on my training plan, I’m going to start from zero and see how far I get before the race. And I’m not going to stress about what I do or don’t do along the way.

When I signed up for my half marathon in April, I imagined lacing my shoes and starting slow and steady in May. That has not been my half marathon training reality. After more than two months of not running at all, the October race date is breathing down my neck and I am trying to figure out how to play catch-up.

Instead of running over the past few weeks as planned, I have been “fuelling up” (read excuse for eating a dessert). I dipped into the homemade donuts from the Sunset test kitchen and tried out a new ice cream sandwich place that actually sells soy ice cream.

With only 12 weeks to go I want to hide like the family cat.

But instead I’m hitting the road three days a week and slowly but surely adding miles each and every week. If only a half marathon was only 3.1 miles, then I would be set.

As a journalist, I think my addiction to magazines is completely justifiable (let’s just go with it). One of my favorites is Runner’s World, but it seems like in every issue there is an article telling me that my shoes are too old and that I need a new pair. Now maybe if you run marathons or are training for an Ironman seasonal shoes are a good idea (or if you live somewhere where you really need winter shoes), but for most runners it’s a constant struggle to decide when to get new shoes.

Everyone has a different estimate of when you need new shoes (every 3 months, every 100 miles, every 500 miles…etc.), but instead of sticking to a strict number, I am just trying to make mine last as long as I can.

Ways to make running shoes last

1. Give it a rest. Have shoes specifically for running. I know they are the most comfortable shoes you own, but wearing them all day, every day will wear them out quickly and make them less supportive (or if you are running in minimalist shoes, less protective).

2. Spray them down. I spritz my shoes (all of them, not just my running shoes) after every wear to keep the smell under control. With only two ingredients, the recipe is easy and effective. My running shoes could be used as a stink bomb if I don’t keep on top of frequently spraying them.

3. Wash them. Toss your shoes in the washer on a cold, gentle cycle and leave them out to dry (no dryer!). I use a full scoop of my homemade laundry soap and spray them down with vinegar before they go in. They don’t smell at all when they come out – it’s great. I wash my barefoot shoes once a week because I don’t wear them with socks, but my other shoes get washed as needed. They come out looking like new and they won’t clear a room anymore.

4. It’s all about form. If you are dragging your feet or running with poor form your shoes will wear unevenly and leave you with unstable shoes that need to be frequently replaced. A local running shop can look at your form and make sure you are running the best you can and fit you for the right shoe for your gait.

One of my goals for 2013 is to finish a half marathon, and I’m excited to say that I am one step closer to getting there. I am registered for the Nike Women’s half in San Francisco!

I chose the Nike half because I figure if I am going to run that far, I want it to be fun and be surrounded by other people. I also know people who have run it and loved it, and I was able in talking a friend into doing it with me. I’ve never run more than a 10k, so I’m a bit nervous to have to go more than twice that. But thankfully I have all summer to get ready.

Now I just need to hope that I get my knee healthy and ready to start building some miles.

Images courtesy of Run Nike Women Series.

While I originally thought of May as the month I would build my monthly running milage, my body might have other plans for me. I’m currently battling a bit of tendonitis in my knee, and I have to first rest and rehab before I can really be running much. I’m hoping that by the second or third week of the month I will be back to slowly adding miles, but it doesn’t look like it will be the massive running challenge I had imagined.

But that doesn’t mean that my May Miles challenge will go to waste. Instead I will use it to increase my swimming and biking miles. As frustrating as an injury can be, every injury is an important reminder or lesson, and it provides an opportunity to improve. For me my lesson was to listen to my body sooner instead of waiting for it to develop into a full-blown injury. And since my legs can’t pound the pavement as much as I used to or lift heavy at CrossFit, I am taking the opportunity to get back into swimming for the summer months and work on some technique and upper body strength at CrossFit (all while doing some super fun rehab exercises to get back in action). And with such beautiful weather, who could be upset about going for a swim?

I got this month’s issue of Runner’s World in the wake of Boston (the problem with having your mail forwarded, it’s always insanely late). Most of the magazine was full of cheerful essays about what running the Boston Marathon meant and projections about how it would play out. But in the aftermath of the bombing, I couldn’t bring myself to read any of them.

Instead I got caught up in a story about why women run (“Why Do Women Run?”), and I found myself oddly frustrated with the whole thing. The ultimate answer given was “because they’re human.” Really? I was dissatisfied with their answer, so I started to think about why I run. They should of said because:

1. Running builds confidence.
2. It pushes the limits of what you thought you could ever do.
3. It makes that voice in your head that doubts you shut up for a while.
4. It’s relaxing.
5. It has no expectations for you, and I have no expectations of my performance or ability.
6. It’s fun.
7. It can be competitive or another way to spend time with a friend.
8. It takes you places.
9. Runners are a community that looks out for one another and encourages each other.
10. It’s nearly impossible to not feel good about yourself after a good run, or any run for that matter.

Since I was home for spring break my schedule had to change a bit. I didn’t get to go to CrossFit three times this past week like I normally do, but I was able to squeeze in a quick drop-in at the gym I was at over the summer. With the sudden spring showers and my lack of equipment, getting a work out in has been difficult. But this is one that you can do from anywhere without needing anything more than your running shoes, or not.

WOD
21-15-9
Hand release burpees (lift your hands off the ground every time your chest hits the floor)
Between each set run 100m, 200m, and finally 400m
(so 21 hand release burpees, 100m run, 15 HR burpees, 200 m run, and finally 9 HR burpees and 400 m run.) If you can’t measure out exact meters just stagger your run. Maybe you run half a block, the full block, and then two blocks in your neighborhood instead.

The entire workout is for time and should push your heart rate. For six minutes of work, it sure did leave an impression. Best of all, you don’t need a gym or anything fancy. Too bad I wasn’t running on the beach.

Photo courtesy of Coach Manny.