January 22, 2015

My Rockstar Spring Half Marathon 12-Week Training Plan {and other Thursday Thoughts}

I love Amanda's Thinking Out Loud Thursdays linkup because it's a place for me to dump some thoughts and share some random tidbits from my life. I hope you like my rambles and that it's not boring or annoying!

1. I'm never going to be a good little blogger that has all her posts done the night before and scheduled to publish in the early morning. Most of mine of half done and finished in the morning or typed up write before lunch. I work full-time so this is as good as it's going to get. Unless I win the lottery of life and can gallivant around all day not having to work and just being able to run, eat, and hang in my sweatpants. A girl can dream, right?
I also have a laundry lists of blog posts I need to write and race recaps from last year-whoops.   

2. Our November Project buffs that some of us ordered finally came into yesterday and now I can look like a ninja when I'm running around Baltimore in the cold.  A November Project member designed them, and it's the best $10 I've spent in a while.  They are lightweight,  UV-resistant, and can be worn a bunch of different ways!

november-project-buff-Lauren1

3. Is it just me, or does anybody just need to cry when they are stressed out and anxious? Yep, work + life + never enough hours in the day led to a mini post-work break-down last night. In case you didn't know, breathe deeply and smile is an actual mantra that I use in my life. 

4. I really need more than 24 hours in a day if I'm supposed to work and do chores and finish anything on my to-do list.  I sat down after work, class, dinner,and cleaning up last night to find it was already 10 PM. I should have gone to bed but I needed an hour of Netflix to decompress #nightowlproblems. 

5. I know we're only halfway through winter, but I'm already excited for spring. March doesn't feel that far away anymore. One big snowstorm that gets me a full snow day would be nice, but other than that I'm over cold wind and layering up to go outside.

6. I fully approve a bottle of red wine being on this Lululemon destination half marathon packing list. I also approve the choice of Apothic Red wine because it's tasty and affordable. Bravo.  
lululemon-half-marathon-destination-packing-list

7. I bought this Chobani green tea blended yogurt a couple weeks ago after getting excited when I saw a couple other people post about it. Sadly I was disappointed in the flavor. It was vanilla-y with a hint of green tea, not the green tea flavor bomb like I wanted. Boo.



8. So it's been hard for me to get into a schedule/ out of my running funk so I finally decided to type up a half marathon training plan schedule for myself. My target race is the Philly Love Run Half Marathon (recap from last year here) on March 29,2015.  
I hope I feel like a rockstar at the end of the race!

I may still sign up for the Rock and Roll DC Half Marathon 2 weeks before and just count that as my long run.  

I keep my training plans flexible and switch workouts/rest days around to fit my schedule. Sometimes that means switching my long run to Sunday, especially with winter weather wreaking havoc some days.Wednesday is a cross training day because I go to November Project in the morning, but that always involves some running too. I may decide to make a couple of my long runs longer too depending on future race plans, but I like at least having some sort of structure to follow. 

 It's an intermediate half marathon training plan with some cross-training, so if you were interested in a 12 week schedule feel free to save away!

Note: I am not a running coach or professional, this is just a plan I put together from looking at other plans and my own experience.  Always consult a professional before starting a new training regimen! 

rockstar-spring-half-marathon-12-week-training-plan
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What's something you always pack for a destination race? Do you like following a scheduled training plan? 

34 comments:

  1. ugh! yesterday was so the day of breakdowns. i had one, too. i'm kind of convinced it's tied to the full moon we had this week. everything is a little funky in the universe. sending big hugs. xx

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    1. Weird-I'm definitely blaming it on the moon, thanks dear!

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  2. Destination races always call for cute scarves and compression socks!

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    1. Yes I love cute scarves, especially when travelling!

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  3. This might be my third comment..trying to comment from my phone and it's not going so well!

    I totally had a breakdown like that last night. I think we need to remember we really can't do it all! Crying actually makes you feel better though because of the hormones and whatnot so there's that. :)

    I have a half in May and I really need to get my training plan going!!

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    1. Sorry you had commenting trouble! Glad I'm not the only one that sometimes just needs to cry it out.

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  4. I only have 7 weeks until the DC half and no plan whatsoever! I really want to get a few tempo and speed workouts in, since I know I can handle the distance, but I also don't want to aggravate my hip. Your plan looks great and really similar to how my training usually looks. But actually I haven't trained specifically for a half in like 3 years!

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    1. Thanks! I'm not sticking hardcore to my plan-I just need some sort of schedule to force me to get some longer runs in!

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  5. I'm guessing you're not going to want to do 8 with me on Sunday then? Superrrrr easy?! Breakdowns happen every few months for me, usually when I'm feeling extra run down at work/overwhelmed with life. I honestly have no idea how you fit everything that you do into one day!

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    1. We can do whatever you want and I'll make up the rest on my own. You forget that running down to the harbor and back to my apt is already 2 miles for me!

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  6. I have a full-blown breakdown every handful of weeks or so... but I actually like them because I'll cry and cry and then instantly feel better like nothing was ever wrong. Just another part of life, I guess :)

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    1. I'm glad I'm not the only one-I do like that it forces me to deal with my emotions and release them!

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  7. I have breakdowns every few weeks (most recently being when I moved back after winter break). It's so helpful to get the tears out and then move on. I think I'm in the non-majority when I say that I want the weather to stay like it is (Florida!). Every month from here on gets hotter.

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    1. Ah yes-my sister just went down to Florida and I told her it only gets hotter and more humid!

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  8. Sometimes a good, crying breakdown is good for the soul! Your training plan looks awesome, have a great weekend :)

    Jen@jpabstfitness

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  9. I have never run a destination race. Unless you count staying at a friends house an hour away for a race near her.

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    1. I really don't like travelling much for racing where I'm trying to run well and not just have fun-it's too stressful for me!

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  10. I've only run one destination race (which really wasn't that much of a destination since it was York, PA) and I was freaking out over packing and worried I would forget something. I guess I'll be doing that all over again in April!

    Your training plan looks great!

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    1. Yep, travelling makes me stressed out even though I double check my packing lists!

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  11. I have a destination race in just under 3 weeks. I wonder if I can pack wine in my suitcase :) Normally I lay out Flat Bari like I normally would and all of that crap gets put in my carryon and everything else for the weekend goes in my checked bag. Training plan for your half looks very reasonable. So many of the intermediate or higher ones have 5-6 days of running and my body just does not deal well with that - think meltdowns like yours the other day. DC Rock n Roll would be so fun if I wasn't already flying to FL in 3 weeks.

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    1. That's how I pretty much pack too-all the flat Lauren gear is essential! Yeah I can't run every single day-it drives me crazy and leaves me too sore!

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  12. I need to get one of those covers to run outside. I actually love vanilla yogurt so I'll have to try that green tea kind. I still have not decided if I am going to do the Philly Love Run yet. I am waiting to see my work schedule for March. -L

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    1. Okay awesome-I'd love to say hi if you end up doing the Philly Love Run!

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  13. I can COMPLETELY relate to your number 1. I also work full time and go to school so there are never enough hours it seems to get everything on my list done! :( You're not alone in feeling stressed out chica. Sending you hugs from afar!!

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    1. Thanks so much for the virtual hugs and glad I'm not the only one!

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  14. I like your training plan! It's kinda like mine but with some days switched around due to my love for certain classes at my gym. I don't do too many destination races, but when I have, I pack ALL the running gear because I don't know what I'm going to want. I was a little disappointed with the green tea Chobani as well, but I still like it as a light and refreshing flavor.

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    1. Yep, I too keep my plan flexible for other workouts or sometimes I just feel like doing something else that day!

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  15. I was also a little disappointed in the Green Tea Chobani. But I still like it, it's very refreshing and light. Racecations? I pack ALL the running stuff. I just don't know what I'm going to want until the night before. I'm doing the Rock n Roll DC 5K. Last week I won a free entry to any of the races and just didn't have it in me to try for a half marathon in just 7 weeks.

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    1. Glad I wasn't the only one! Awesome- I hope the 5K is fun!

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  16. I can't decide if I'm going to do the Rock and roll half again- the hills at the end were bad and TJ definitely doesn't want to do it again. I signed up to do the Brooklyn Half again and might do an April race in Delaware near my beach house

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    1. I hear ya, it wasn't my favorite course. Brooklyn Half sounds fun-sadly I had something else to do that day!

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  17. I don't like following a scheduled training plan but I also don't run as fast as you! i do fewer longer runs before racesthan peopl who follow training plans i think but otherwise I think I end up doing almost the same thing as most training plans.

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    1. Awesome-I don't think you need as many longgggg runs as some people think honestly!

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