Half Marathon Training: Week Seven

We’ve hit the double digit mark.  On Sunday Tanna and I ran 10 miles!  It was pretty awesome yet still unbelievable to me.

I would say last weekend’s two runs were the best of the seven weeks of training so far.  This came as a big surprise as we did our four mile run on Saturday after not eating a healthy meal and doing it in the afternoon (two things that don’t normally happen) and Sunday we ran ten miles (period)!

Most of the time, worrying about something is worse than actually doing that something and the four-miler was a piece of cake.  The ten-miler wasn’t so bad either!

On Sunday, we found a loop near Dysart’s in Hermon that was close to ten miles and then just used Tanna’s handy dandy distance watch to make sure we did the entire long run.

I am most proud of doing the run while being sick.  I had a runny nose, sore throat, and the ever-so lovely-post-nasal drip but, somehow, it didn’t affect me as much as I thought it would.

We ran hills, we ran against the wind, and we kept on running.  Oh, and I didn’t have to pee this time.

I should confess something right now, though.  Ever since beginning this running regimen (five days of run per week) I have also been playing full court five on five basketball at least twice per week.  The basketball playing falls during the week and, so far, it hasn’t seemed like much of an issue to continue the running and play basketball as well. 

If something is suffering, it’s my basketball playing.   Luckily, I am just playing basketball for fun now but I wouldn’t really recommend trying to go hard at two things.  Half marathon training should probably stand alone when it comes to working out.

(And, not to worry, this training will be done by the time summer basketball league comes around: that takes center stage in June and July.)

Thoughts:

Maybe I should wear running shorts?  Last week a co-worker laughed at the basketball shorts I always run in.

My left calf and left foot felt a little tingly at times during the ten-mile run and a little bit on the following day so I am wondering what’s going on there.  Could be that I need to wear my newer shoes or that I need some more vitamins in my life…

Speaking of vitamins, I think I am not eating properly for the toll that running this much takes on one’s body.  Don’t get me wrong, I eat healthy for the most part but that just comes natural to me and I think, with all this running, I need to actually FOCUS on what I am eating and when I am eating it.  Someone should include an eating guide with their running calendars… or, maybe someone already has?

Again, it seems that half marathon training should stand alone as a workout.  Playing full court basketball probably hasn’t rested my legs properly between runs.

I enjoyed this running outfit today: bright yellow cutoff, shortest shorts I own: bright blue, and bright orange shoes.  Still need to decide what I’ll wear on the big day!

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!