Half Marathon Training: Week Three

We did it.  Finished six miles this past weekend.

Oh, and we did it during the blizzard.

Let me set the scene.  This past Friday brought a blizzard here to New England, we had whipping winds and snow coming down at three inches an hour (that’s a quick build up).  Car-sized drifts and whiteout conditions were in effect.   This was not a problem as we got a run in Friday morning and vowed to stay huddled in my room until the storm died down.

All was going according to plan: movies, tea, and a warm blanket were in use until…. “ERRR, ERRR, ERRRR” and flashing lights woke us up at 3:30am.  Normally I check the hallway before considering a fire alarm a real one and once I did, I saw some foggy stuff that looked like smoke (plus a fire extinguisher on the floor right outside our door) and decided we better get down the stairs and out of the building.

I just slipped on a sweatshirt and my slippers not considering the consequences (it was a fire, right?  We had to get the hell out!).  Down in the lobby it was determined we have to make the trek to a bigger building on campus, one not currently on fire, about two football fields away.

This wouldn’t be a problem, and never is, when there isn’t a blizzard going on.  But, alas, there was and almost 300 people had to blaze trails through the drifts, winds, and waist-high fresh snow.  Some people were in shorts, others didn’t have proper footwear, and everyone else was still freezing despite suitable attire.

Once back at the building, after finding out some (drunk) kid on our floor had had a field day with the fire extinguisher (there was no fire), we had to wait until 5:45am to get back to our rooms.

So the plan was to wake up the next morning and run our longest run yet: six miles.  But after the quick-sand-like run in white out conditions I wasn’t sure it would be ideal for us to face our biggest running challenge yet.

But we did.  We did!  In the afternoon we got to work on the indoor track (dodging flying baseballs from the baseball team) and finished six miles in about one hour and two minutes.  The best part is: I didn’t feel like keeling over.

So Week Three:

Feeling better and better.  My legs haven’t been too sore and my back tightness is slowly decreasing.

It doesn’t feel like my appetite is increasing in general.  But I definitely can’t just get up and run without eating SOMETHING.

I thought I would be feeling anxious before my long runs but I haven’t really.  I guess I just figure I have to go out there and do it and this training really seems to be helping me just work up to long runs.

Danielle Clark

About Danielle Clark

I am 28 years old and for 5 years out of college I played basketball for a living. I was a professional basketball player in Europe so I spent most of my years there and came back to Maine for summers and a couple weeks at Christmas time. I thought my years there would open my eyes to what I want to be when I "grow up." That didn't happen. I have discovered, however, that I just have to try something. Just do things and toss myself into them. I have currently tossed myself into being a college basketball assistant coach and one on one reading tutor. I grew up in Corinna, Maine and have been a resident Mainer. I love sports, reading, writing, cooking, baking, watching movies... everything. I have lots of hobbies and not enough time in the day!