Brit's Half Marathon

"It's been a lovely cruise..."

2005-12-15T23:56:00.000-08:00

Running in the sunset
Originally uploaded by bsound3.

The fall semester of my senior year is coming to an end and with that, so is my information technology class that I originally made this blog for.
Despite that, I absolutely plan to keep on training for my half marathon and hopefully will continue to find motivation and support through this blog.
I had a great time writing this and it's definitely opened me up to a huge online community I never knew existed! Thanks so much to everyone who took the time to read about my training and best of luck to all the runners out there! Keep up the good work!

A little experiement from my Info. Tech. Class

2005-12-06T23:27:00.001-08:00

nworbxela

and

outdoor trampolines chester

...we're trying to see how quickly google will pick up these terms.

Quick Diet Tip!

2005-11-29T10:46:00.000-08:00

Here's a great blog post I found on tips for getting back on track after Thanksgiving!

Week Seven!

2005-11-29T10:32:00.000-08:00

Well this is definitely going to be a catch up week. After a really great thanksgiving with really great food and really great laying-around time, I'm ready to get back into running BIG time. I edited the schedule a little by bumping up a few run times just because I've slacked a lot lately. Feel free to stick with Oprah's though if you want!

Week Seven
Sunday: 6 Mile Run. 45 crunches
Monday: Jog (45 mins.) 45 crunches
Tuesday: 30/30 Cross Training Day (30 minutes stairclimbing, 30 minutes walking). 45 crunches
Wednesday: 4 Mile Pace Run. 45 crunches
Thursday: 25/25 Cross Training Day. 45 crunches
Friday: 3 Mile Pace Day. 45 crunches
Saturday: 30/30 Cross Training Day. 45 crunches

Week Six (a little late)

2005-11-25T14:39:00.000-08:00

Her's the schedule for week six- sorry it's a little late but com on, it's Thanksgiving! Hope everyone had a great holiday!!

Week Six
Sunday: 7 Mile Run. 45 crunches
Monday: Light Jog or Walk (20/30 mins.) You should be moving but not pushing. 45 crunches
Tuesday: 20/20 Cross Training Day (20 minutes stairclimbing, 20 minutes walking). 45 crunches
Wednesday: 3 Mile Pace Run. 45 crunches
Thursday: 20/20 Cross Training Day. 45 crunches
Friday: 3 Mile Pace Day. 45 crunches
Saturday: 20/20 Cross Training Day. 45 crunches

Week Five: Pushing Through

2005-11-15T16:05:00.000-08:00

Week Five
Sunday: 6 Mile Run. 45 crunches
Monday: Light Jog or Walk (20/30 mins.) 45 crunches
Tuesday: 20/20 Cross Training Day. 45 crunches
Wednesday: 3 Mile Pace Run. 45 crunches
Thursday: 20/20 Cross Training Day. 45 crunches
Friday: 3 Mile Pace Day. 45 crunches
Saturday: 20/20 Cross Training Day. 45 crunches

...even if I don't start until Wednesday, I'm doing those 6 miles. I promise.

Trying to get back on the wagon...

2005-11-15T16:02:00.000-08:00

motivation
Originally uploaded by bsound3.

Well, it's finally happened. I'd been doing really well and sticking to the program for at least 5 or 6 days a week. But this past weekend I went to visit some friends at Penn State and JMU and didn't get a chance to run. Now it's Tuesday night, I haven't ran in about 5 days, and I'm thinking I'd much rather take a nap then work out. Help!

I know if I don't start up again right away, I'll never stick with the training through Thanksgiving break. I'd love any tips on how to get back in the game. In the meantime, I found this article on how to stay motivated while training and this picture might help too. Still, right now all I can think is, "I'll start tomorrow..."

I hope so; wish me Luck!

Inspiration for Week Four

2005-11-08T22:17:00.000-08:00

"Just keep swimming. Just keep swimming. Just keep swimming, swimming, swimming."
-Dory from Finding Nemo
(but think running in place of swimming)

Week Four!

2005-11-08T22:09:00.000-08:00

Keep Going!! ...just a little note for myself :)

Week Four
Sunday: 6 Mile Run. 45 crunches
Monday: Light Jog or Walk (20/30 mins.) 45 crunches
Tuesday: 20/20 Cross Training Day 45 crunches
Wednesday: 3 Mile Pace Run. 45 crunches
Thursday: 20/20 Cross Training Day. 45 crunches
Friday: 3 Mile Pace Day. 45 crunches
Saturday: 20/20 Cross Training Day. 45 crunches

*notice the 6 mile run to start off the week- things are getting serious!

...and I've finally started doing the crunches regularly, what a difference!

Inspiration for Week Three

2005-11-04T14:01:00.000-08:00

"Success seems to be connected with action. Successful men keep moving. They make mistakes, but they don't quit."
- Conrad Hilton

Week Three Already?

2005-11-04T13:42:00.000-08:00

Sorry guys- I know I'm a little behind on this post and I apologize to everyone who has been following my schedule! The weather this week has been so amazing I just couldn't force myself to sit in front of the computer. Sunshine and low 70s has also made this week's training a breeze so far; hope everyone else had a chance to get out and enjoy it!

Week Three
Sunday: 5 Mile Run. 45 crunches
Monday: Light Jog or Walk (20/30 mins.) 45 crunches
Tuesday: 20/20 Cross Training Day 45 crunches
Wednesday: 3 Mile Pace Run. 45 crunches
Thursday: 20/20 Cross Training Day. 45 crunches
Friday: 3 Mile Pace Day. 45 crunches
Saturday: 20/20 Cross Training Day. 45 crunches

Inspiration for Week Two

2005-10-30T13:48:00.000-08:00

Inspiration for Week Two
Originally uploaded by bsound3.

"Only those who risk going too far can possibly find out how far they can go."
-T.S. Elliot

Moving Forward, On to Week Two

2005-10-24T20:33:00.000-07:00

First of all, I bet you're wondering how I did with week one...well, I actually did a pretty great job of sticking to the schedule! The five mile run was a great place to jump start from! Once that's out of the way, the rest of the week looks easy! I haven't really been doing the 45 recommended crunches a day, but I'm looking to start that this week. I also like how the cross training days alternate with the running days- it works well to keep my interest.

Here's the plan for Week Two:

Sunday: 5 Mile Run. 45 crunches
Monday: Light Jog or Walk (20/30 mins.) You should be moving but not pushing. 45 crunches
Tuesday: 20/20 Cross Training Day (20 minutes stairclimbing, 20 minutes walking). 45 crunches
Wednesday: 3 Mile Pace Run. 45 crunches
Thursday: 20/20 Cross Training Day. 45 crunches
Friday: 3 Mile Pace Day. 45 crunches
Saturday: 20/20 Cross Training Day. 45 crunches

Inspiration for Week One

2005-10-18T15:18:00.000-07:00

I decided that each week's schedule should come with a motivational quote to really get everyone going, so here's my pick for the big kick off...

"You can have anything you want, if you want it badly enough. You can be anything you want to be, do anything you set out to accomplish, if you hold to that desire with singleness of purpose." -Abraham Lincoln

Official Training Schedule

2005-10-17T10:59:00.000-07:00

Official Training Schedule
Originally uploaded by bsound3.

I realize I've put alot of information on my blog so far about running, but I still haven't committed to a training schedule for myself. ...Sorry. So after looking over a handful of different ones, I chose Oprah's Half Marathon Training Schedule. I liked this one specifically because it gives you something to do everyday- I know myself and if I have a lot of "rest days" like other schedules, I'll never keep going. It also looks like a great way to get in shape, so here goes nothing...

Week One
Sunday: 5 Mile Run. 45 crunches.
Monday: Light Jog or Walk (20/30 mins.) You should be moving but not pushing. 45 crunches
Tuesday: 20/20 Cross Training Day (20 minutes stairclimbing, 20 minutes walking). 45 crunches
Wednesday: 3 Mile Pace Run. 45 crunches
Thursday: 20/20 Cross Training Day. 45 crunches
Friday: 3 Mile Pace Day. 45 crunches
Saturday: 20/20 Cross Training Day. 45 crunches

Wish me luck!

VALS Survey

2005-10-09T14:44:00.000-07:00

So I took the VALS survey that we talked about in class and it said I was a Striver and an Experiencer. Parts of the descriptions definitely sounded like me, but they weren't all positive...apparently im "trendy and fun loving" but my "lack of skills and focus" could prevent me from moving ahead. Yikes, that doesn't sound too encouraging for my half-marathon...

Avoiding Common Injuries

2005-10-09T13:09:00.000-07:00

ice
Originally uploaded by bsound3.

A lot of people, like myself, get into running for a little while, suffer an injury and then quit all together. So, I thought it would be important to give you guys some information on the most common injuries of new runners and how to treat them...

1) Runner's Knee- general term involving pain around the knee cap. the best things to do here are to ice your knees several times a day, stretch your quads and calfs better, and reduce running on hills.
2) Shin Splints- these can be on the outside or inside of your shin. usually they hurt the most right when you start running, tend to fade for a little, and then act up again later on. the best way to treat this injury is by stretching calf muscles frequently, icing them, and limiting running.
3) Stress Fractures- often confused with shin splints, these can be hard to identify at first. they usually occur on the lower leg and sometimes in toes, but are much more serious then shin splints if not treated right away. ice will help the pain, but they can take up to six weeks of rest to heal completely.

Many of these injuries you can prevent altogether by making sure you have the right shoes for your feet, taking time to warm up and cool down, eating a balanced diet, and of course, drinking lots of water. Also, if you think you might have something I left off the list, definitely check out this site for more info on what you're suffering from and how to treat it.

Wikipedia Definitions!

2005-10-03T11:09:00.000-07:00

I thought the definitions of marathon and running on Wikipedia were pretty interesting!

Quick Progress Update

2005-09-30T13:19:00.000-07:00

So this week's been pretty great for running with the little temperature drop down to the 70s. I ran my usual 4 mile loop around campus Monday, Tuesday, and Thursday and I'm feeling pretty good about it. Still haven't picked a training schedule to follow religiously yet, but I'll get to it.

Why Run?

2005-09-26T17:18:00.000-07:00

jogger
Originally uploaded by bsound3.

Running is great for physical, mental, and emotional reasons. Many articles I've read have raved about all of the potential health benefits of starting to run. Studies have shown reductions in the likelihood of everything from the common cold to some forms of cancer. It increases your stamina, conditions your heart and lungs, and can even help you to loose weight- up to about a pound a week for beginners. Also, like many other forms of exercising, running can cure stress, reduce headaches, and give you more energy. I know for me it's just as helpful, if not more, in getting me through the day then taking a nap sometimes! But what sets it apart from other exercise is that running is just so convenient. You don't have to worry about scheduling a field or buying lots of expensive equipment; all you need are shoes and the motivation to get going! Here's an interesting article I found that explains these benefits a little further.

This, at least to me, all sounds pretty convincing. But just keep in mind, if you do start up a running routine to be patient- it's going to take your body a little while to adjust. This week, so far, I've run three out of five days, which I think is a pretty good pace for starting up. My knees aren't the best, but by giving myself a little recovery time I think I'll be able to stick with the training. The weather's been great too, so there's really no excuse for me to stay inside. I'm still looking into which half marathons to run, but a lot of the big local ones aren't until sometime after April. So, the training I'm doing now might end up just being practice for the Spring time. Oh well, it's going good for now!

So here's the story...

2005-09-11T19:38:00.000-07:00

My name is Brittany and I'm completely new at the whole blog thing. I created this one for a Information Technology in Marketing class at the University of Delaware, where I'm currently a senior. The idea for the project was to pick a single theme you were interested in and keep blog throughout the fall semester on it. To be honest, I'm not crazy about running, but I figured this might give me enough motivation to actually make a goal and stick with it for once (the goal, of course, being to run a half marathon). So ideally, this blog will be a place for me to talk about my progress, share some helpful hints on running in general, point out some great websites to anyone who's interested, and hopefully get some advice for myself. Between the blog and the running, I'm bound to learn something new, so we'll see how it goes...

Just to start things up, I figured I'd tell you what I know so far about half marathons. The race is 21K and training usually lasts about 3 months, which should fit nicely into this semester. I've heard that most beginners should expect to run the race in about 2 hours. (I'm used to playing sports and I've run for over an hour before, so I think this could be okay) I guess the next step is going to be to pick out a particular race and decided on a specific training schedule, so I'll keep you posted on how it goes!

If anyone else has done this before, I'd love to hear about it! Thanks!

* Welcome to Brittany's Blog *

2005-09-06T14:43:00.000-07:00

Hey Everybody! I've been lazy these last few weeks of summer, so I decided to run a half marathon. The idea of this blog is to keep you guys updated on my mini-training and give some advice to anyone thinking of doing the same thing.
If you've ever thought about running a half marathon yourself, here's a decent training schedule I found.
Check it out!