Training Schedule

countdown to race: 127 days

We're not runners.

I know, I know, this doesn't make sense, especially since the blog's title is Mark and Amy Run. Sure, we run, but we're not hard-core, don't-feel-like-myself-if-I-don't-log-5-miles-a-day, live-to-run runners.

We sign up for three or four runs a year, run for the month leading up to the race, then spend the entire 4 mile/5k cursing at ourselves for not training harder. Post-race we're big lazy bums who talk about how out of shape we are.

We like to run. It's the only "sport" we can do together. I'm close to a foot shorter than Mark and rather uncoordinated, but I can manage to put one foot in front of the other at a moderate pace, most of the time.

So. As non-runners, who run, training for a half marathon, we've put together our own training schedule by combining the two guides from the race's website.

The guides are dated June 20 - October 15. We decided to start our training on May 31. We fully acknowledge how out of shape we currently are, but know that we have the determination to push ourselves. We decided to start the beginner schedule on May 31 and get things moving while we were motivated. On June 20, we will switch to the Level 1 training schedule, which includes more cross training and longer runs. Both schedules can be found here.

Mark finished his first half, Hospital Hill, one of the toughest courses in the country (okay, I don't know that for a fact but the combination of hills, humidity and heat makes it a really really tough run), in 2:48. I finished the 2010 Let's Get Physical 10k, my longest run - with teeny tiny, sesame seed Grace in my belly - in 1:09.

Our goal is to finish the half in 2:15-2:30. God, help us.