How did I train for my first half marathon?

I've been asked several times just how I train for 1/2 marathons. The very first one I trained for I followed a program put together by a friend in the Hendersonville Running Club.  The plan is based on the runner being a beginner.  You can modify and change as you need.



One of the things I did after my first marathon and once my intervals decreased was to modify my mid-week runs. If my long run on Saturday is scheduled to be 8 miles I split up the miles during the week so that they equal a total of eight miles. That way I'm running 16 miles that week.  As you get stronger and able to maintain a minimum weekly mileage make sure that half of that is your long run on Saturdays or whenever you decide to do your long run.



The following schedule is for your long run mileage only. Whatever interval you plan on running for your long run is what you should run during the week. The weekly runs should be the time to push your intervals making the amount of time you walk shorter and shorter. Use your long run as your "practice race" leave it all out on the road.



This is a 17 week plan. If you already have a base mileage down just find where you are at and adjust from there. As well as working on increasing your mileage you need to cross train.  I have also included the helpful information that was passed on to me. I did not come up with this plan it is just what worked for me.



Weekly schedule recommendations are as follows:



Run/Walk Weekly plan

1 long run)

2 base runs per week of 30-40 mins (3-4 miles) (treadmill: +1 mile)

2 easy (Cross Training) days per week of 20-30 mins



Recommended Cross-Training (on non-run/walk days)

15-20 minutes of Core Exercises (2-3 times a week)

Spin, Pilates, Walking, Stretching, Zumba…



•Minimum weekly goal is 3 days of Run/Walk.

•Ideal weekly goal is 5-6 days of activity. (1-2 days of rest)

•Begin the program at easy Run/Walk Intervals, then advance gradually to 5/1 Run/Walk Intervals.

•Run/Walk Intervals are not rigid. Shorten 1 minute walk breaks if HR has recovered and trainee is no longer breathless.

•If you are forced to skip/miss a long run, then try to get your long run in as soon as you can.                                                                      



Long Run Schedule:

Week Number	Long Run/Walk Distance (miles)	Races to consider As you build mileage consider running 5 or 10ks to get use to race day
17	3 (1/2 Intervals)
16	4 (1/2 Interval)
15	6 (1/1 Interval)
14	5 (2/1 Interval)
13	7 (2/1 Interval)
12	6 (3/1 Interval)
11	8 (3/1 Interval)
10	6 (4/1 Interval)
9	9 (4/1 Interval)
8	6 (5/1 Interval)
7	10 (5/1 Interval)
6	6 (5/1 Interval)
5	11 (5/1 Interval)
4	6 (5/1 Interval)
3	12 (5/1 Interval)
Taper
2	8 (5/1 Interval)
1	13.1 Race Day

Tapering is your friend. It will keep you fresh for the race but also let your body get the rest it needs prior to your race. If you are consistently skipping your walk breaks then you should try to eliminate them all together. Listen to your body and walk when you need to.





FCR

One More Step, One More Mile, One More Finish. ©







  

 

  

    




 

Winner! Winner! Swiftwick for Dinner!

As you all know we did a March Madness Give A Way! We were giving away three prizes BUT as life happens and spring training gets in the way we only received one entry. We so loved this entry because of the answer to the answer to the first question.
We so loved this answer that we decided we needed to give this Lynne a pair of socks that she would love so  much that even her dogs would leave them alone.  So from one Lynne to another please enjoy your Swiftwick March Madness gear! 


To Learn more about Lynne please check out her fantastic blog about running and being a single parent of two large dogs On The Other End Of The Leash


1. A picture of you and Swiftwick socks. hint find a retailer near you.

Please don’t disqualify me for not having these socks.  I’m a single parent of two very large dogs who are eating me out of house and home.  Plus they eat most of my socks anyway.

2. A picture of you running in a race or finishing a race.

3. The best running outfit you own

 This is what I wore for my first marathon in Vegas.  Still my favorite shirt.

4. How do you carb load?
I like the Mac ‘N Cheese at the Hard Rock Café.  I’ve eaten it three times now before racing in the Denver Half and Full marathons.  It has chicken and white cheddar.  Yummy!

5. Your biggest no no for race day. (remember be creative)
Remember your Body Glide!  I ran into a pharmacy along the race course to find something to relieve some chafing I had going on.  The chafing was being caused by the other no-no – DO NOT wear something new on race day!  Thank goodness for Burt’s Bees!

6. Do what moves you.

  Yes I’m one of those people who dress up their dogs!  This is Jersey Girl.  She passed away last year from lymphoma.  She was the greatest at playing dress up.

7. Confirmation for your next race showing your name and the race (on this picture only can you blur out all other information)
The 13th Flying Pig Marathon | Sunday, May 1, 2011 6:30 a.m.

Search Results Name Age Gender City State Country Category Day, Lynne 42 F Colorado Springs Colorado United States Marathon powered by P&G

8. Your favorite running shoes.

I just changed over from the Nimbus to the ASICS GEL-Cumulus 12.  I’ve tried every shoe though.

10. Celebrating St. Patrick's Day

Back in 1993, I got married on St. Patrick’s Day.  I’m not Irish and neither was he.  It just seemed like a fun thing to do on a Wednesday.  We went to the Justice of the Peace, got married, had Pizza Hut and celebrated at the local bar.  Nice little wedding day.  Divorced 375 days later!

LAST DAY TO SUBMIT ENTRIES FOR THE MARCH MADNESS CONTEST

In case you missed it here's the link and the rules March Madness Contest !

I hate have SWAG that I can't give away!

Life, and three months of non running......

It's been a really weird year. I haven't really felt my self. Well it has finally come full circle. Seems like I've been out of step all year. Just not quite my self.

I just couldn't quite figure it out. For many years I have tried to not take any non essential medications. Treating things naturally if possible. If your body it sick it's built to fight off some illnesses. If you have a stomach bug let your body get rid of it. If you have a cold, rest and vitamin C and mom's chicken noodle soup.

There are things that you need to get medications for but our bodies are amazing machines. When fed well and tuned up it will tell you what it needs.

A couple of weeks ago I started having lower back pain that could not be relieved via chiropractic care, so I went to the doctor. I ended up having an upper UTI still up in the kidneys, more liking just festering there and not getting better. It has probably been a systemic problem for most of this year, causing me to feel off.

The doctor put me on a really strong antibiotic to get rid of the infection. Unfortunately I had a sever life threatening allergic reaction to the antibiotic. My face and lips swelled up and had trouble swallowing. It was terrifying. We got to the ER and they gave me an epinephrin shot, a quick acting steroid shot, and another antihistamine.

Let me tell you the epi shot was NO joke. It seemed to fire up every muscle in my entire body at the same time. The purpose is to move what ever it is causing the reaction out of your body as quickly as possible. It speeds up your heart and makes your system work hard. For the next three days I felt like I had run a full marathon TWICE! I slept and and slept and rested.

Monday I went in for a follow up and also found out that I am B12 deficient. This from lack of feeding the body correctly. So today is Wednesday and I am finally feeling amazing.

The kidney infection and other problems lingering in my system from the infection cause a significant weight gain of almost 15 pounds in just a few days of water weight. I have now lost all the sick weight and feel so much better.

I am not released yet to return to Art of Strength  or running. I am feeling, and looking so much better.

When all is said and done.

When all is said and done, what is the purpose of Diary of a Fat Chick Running? 

It's a question that has been on my mind recently. Is it more than just a place to motivate myself and others and help to keep me accountable for my weight loss and fitness level? 

I've been thinking about what it really could be. As someone that has battled weight issues most of my life, and endured the bullying and teasing that comes with it, I want this to be more. 

The one thing in my life that I never saw myself as was an athlete even playing tennis in high school I never really felt like I was part of that group. 

After spending the last year working with Hendersonville Running Club and the great people there and of course Swiftwick and all my friends there. Not once have I ever been looked at as something OTHER than an athlete. It's a really nice feeling, it's a really nice defining point. Not being defined by size, style or weight but being defined by the effort that you give. 

I was having a hard time at the end of the 2010 races season. I had put a ton of pressure on my self to compete in 4 long races my very first year of running. Afraid if I didn't have that carrot out in front of me I might just fall of the road and never return. 

What I ended up doing was pushing myself and my body beyond what it was capable of.  But even when that happen the group of people I surrounded my self with never said I shouldn't have done it. Nope they said well next year modify your plan do something different. Never once did someone say well your just not cut out for endurance running. Not once did someone say your too heavy.

Through out the year towards the end you could hear me calling out during a race "Big girls do it better" and "Big girls eat hills for breakfast"  I truly mean that. I think it takes even more effort and stamina to move a body that is 200+ pounds 13.1 miles then it does to move an "average" runners body that far.

We have to train differently our fluid and fuel needs are greater. We tackle a race differently, and we run for different reasons. Some to lose weight, some to get motivated to lose weight, some to support friends and family in their endeavor to get fit and healthy. Now mind you I'm not a dietician, or a trainer or a health professional. I just have a good team behind me that helps me to and be better. 

I'd like to hear your stories. I'd like to give you a forum where your story can be heard and listened to with out stigma. Having a hard time lacing up and getting out the door? Need some extra support? I hope to make this space and soon the new website a place where you can do so. I'd like to connect the community and the world together so that not one FCR or FDR (fat dude running) is doing it alone. 

FCR 

One More Step, One More Mile, One More Finish. ©

Marvelous March Madness SWAG

Being of Irish decent, March has always held a special place in my heart.  St. Patrick's Day and all that is green is gold. This month for our SWAG give-a-way we are doing a photo scavenger hunt.

The rules are as follows.

1.Photoshopping unless otherwise noted is strictly forbidden and you will be disqualified.  You may NOT use any internet photographs. Remember I also work and intern at a professional photography studio with National Photography Competition Judges we will know if it's your own photograph or if you have photoshopped your entries.

2. All photos must contain you. That means if your asked to find a shamrock you must be in the picture with the shamrock.

3. All entries will be judged on creativity and originality yes I will be asking Hubs and my photographer friends for help.

4. All entries must be received no later than March 31, 2011 at 11:59 pm CST. Submit all entries to DOAFCR@clearwire.net



Okay now that you have the rules how do you win?

Be the most creative and original Scavenger in finding all 10 of the following items.

1. A picture of you and Swiftwick socks. hint find a retailer near you (If you do not live in a country where Swiftwick is available please email for alternate task. DOAFCR@Clearwire.net
     (If you own a pair already give us your most creative shot of you in your socks)

2. A picture of you running in a race or finishing a race.

3. The best running outfit you own

4. How do you carb load?

5. Your biggest no no for race day. (remember be creative)

6. Do what moves you.

7. Confirmation for your next race showing your name and the race (on this picture only can you blur out all other information)

8. Your favorite running shoes.

9. Just can't do with out _______ on long runs.

10. Celebrating St. Patrick's Day

Remember this is all about being creative, having fun and being original.

1st Place will receive a sweet goodie bag from one of my favorite gear companies Swiftwick.

Valued at $35.00

2nd Place will receive a $10.00 Gift Certificate to a sporting goods retailer in your area or a pick out of the DOAFCR grab bag

3rd Place will receive a $5.00 Gift Certificate to a sporting goods retailer in your area or a pick out of the DOAFCR grab bag

FCR

One More Step, One More Mile, One More Finish. ©

I am back and I'm kicking tushie!

Or maybe it's the other way around, I'm back but I'm getting my tushie kicked? hrmm. Let me do some 'splaning.

I have either been injured, or sick for the last month or so. First there was the Christmas ankle roll off the stair I was innocently standing on, one week before a race. Then there was the I slid in the mud and fell on my right knee 4 days before a race. Then there is the fact that I didn't gain any weight over Thanksgiving and Christmas I snarfed my way through the New Year and Valentines day. Yup it finally hit I gained some weight back. Insert dramatic foreboding music here.

Last year I put two pieces of the puzzle together movement and good food. Well then a hard cold winter set into Middle Tennessee and I lost one of the pieces the movement. I'm not fond of snow and ice and running.  I on the other had became fond of comfort food and mindless TV.

After running the Predators 5k I remembered what it was I loved about running and realized that if I want to keep doing it I need to work on some core things.

1. Food garbage in garbage attacks hips
2. Movement is necessary. Going up and down the three flights of stairs at a rapid cardio pace once a day does nothing.
3. With out a strong core you go nowhere.
4. The more you train the fast you are.

So how am I to combat these 4 things. First of all back to good foods. I've added some Art of Strength  cross training 3 days a week. It's 30 minutes of intense strength and cardio work out. Then I do ten minutes on the stationary bike and ten minutes on this thing called the woodway. It's awesome. It's helping me work on making my stride longer and more efficient.

I've also had quite a few friends and locals people I've met at businesses want to know how I got stated. I need more motivation to get back out on the road so I've add a group run to my routine. On Wednesdays I'm doing what I call a low and slow group. Low miles and slow speed. That way I can reach out in the community and instead of telling people how I do it I'm actually showing them how to do it.

I would like my goal for this group to be 10 people run/walking consistently all year long. Yup HRC that means I'm trying to find more yahoo's to join our group.

OH yeah and there is going to be a give away in March.... Can't tell you what it is yet but it's going to be pretty awesome if I do say so myself.


FCR
One More Step, One More Mile, One More Finish. ©

New Gear Review

My find friends at Swiftwick socks called me up a few months ago and asked me to test out a new line of sock. The new line is called Aspire.

I love this sock. It is really hard to improve on Swiftwick but they have done it. The linked toe is so wonderful, no toe seam to rub or irritate my big and little toes. These socks are woven just a bit differently. 

From toe to arch is one weave then at the arch there is  a different one with some compression. It is not overly tight or uncomfortable. In fact I have come to really love that aspect of the Aspire sock. 

I have tried this sock in the zero, one and two cuff sizes. I am still a zero girl but have found that I like these other cuff lengths. The "taller" cuffs are nice to tuck under the running tights when it is cold out. I ran both the Frostbite 5k and the Fangtastic 5k in these socks. 

I have noticed with other socks that as my feet swell during a race the weave can and does irritate the bottom of my feet. I did not find this happening with any of the Swiftwick socks that I have tested so far. 

I am looking forward to see any new advances in socks and compression gear from Swiftwick, and I'm not just saying that because I was able to test out this new product. I was a Swiftwick convert prior to having the chance to try this new line out. It also helps that they are a locally owned and operated company. They source their materials from the US and they are made right here in Middle Tennessee. They are a green company that also encourages their retailers to be green as well.  

So if your looking for that perfect sock, I have to give it to Swiftwick yet again.  from their zero olefin socks to the merino wool's to the 12 Ole compression socks there is a sock to fit your style. 

Look for my next review of the Swiftwick compression sleeves. 

FCR
One More Step, One More Mile, One More Finish. ©

Fangtastic 5k Re-cap

I've been having some mental road blocks. I ran the Frostbite but it wasn't anything to write home to HRC about.

Today I got up felt good. Headed out the door and it was nice and warm. I was so glad I changed clothes right before I left. I dropped a layer and was so glad that I did around mile 1.5.

Leon was supposed to run but he had a church leadership meeting and couldn't make it again this year.

So Dominic ran as Hub, he says thanks for the time btw.

I felt really good. I wasn't trying for a PR I was going about it as a training run.

Due to the really cold weather it's been so hard for me to even breath when I go outside for work or errands, running has been a no go.

Mile one was nice and easy, mile two with the hill was pretty fast I felt really good. The route was different this year. We went down hill where we trudged up hill last year. There was only one real tough hill and that was coming up to Charlotte Ave.

I met a woman that was doing her first race and training for Country Music Half, sounded awful familiar. She's been training mostly alone. I channeled my best Charlene and Leslie and we started challenging each other to go faster with shorter walk breaks.

Mile three was so fast, I think I had a 15 or 16 min mile. Then we came up to Demonbreun, I felt so good. We hit the exact spot where Leslie and Charlene found me last year and my new friend and I kicked it in gear, I kept snarling and growling and yes we did pass not one, not two but five people as we came to the mats.

It was such a different experience this time around. Last year I never thought I would get across the mats, this year I was running hand in hand arms raised crossing the finish line.

I felt really good and it was a really good kick in the tush to get working again.

Hubs and I have planned on doing a 5k race every month. So next month we are doing the Springer Mountain Farms Chicken Healthy 5K Run & Walk
at the Gaylord Opryland Resort, it starts at the Grand Ole Opry house and was only $6.50 to register.

Our next one for April is going to be the Purity Dairy Dash and I'm pretty sure Moon Pie is on the list this year.

I'm so thankful for HRC and all the inspiration that Hubs and I get from the club.

Here's to a great 2011!

FCR
One More Step, One More Mile, One More Finish. ©

Hubs: My Country Music 1/2 Marathon

I asked hubs a few weeks ago to do a post. Due to how busy we have been I am just now able to get that wonderful post to you.


Ladies and Gentleman, friends and runners may I present Hubs. 


 FCR asked me to write an entry for the blog. I'm still not entirely sure what she wants for this entry but here goes anyway. I guess I'll tell you about Country Music 2010. I starting running about the same time my wife did. For me, the enjoyment comes from the challenge, finding out what I can do. I found out early on that breaking my leg is one thing that I could do.

FCR and I had made a goal to run the Country Music 1/2 Marathon 2010. In January I break my leg. So much for that goal.

Or so I thought. Despite having surgery to repair my bone, my leg healed very quickly. I was up and about by mid-March, and walking without any brace or anything by early April. Surprisingly the metal plate and five screws did not even cause any discomfort. Maybe I could attempt this race after all.

We had already paid the registration way back in December (no refunds), so when race day came along, I decided to give it a go. I can always drop out if I need do. So with my new bionic ankle, I take off. It was a struggle but I managed to do it! To this day I'm not sure how. It took pretty much every ounce of strength I had.

But the point is, I made it. I finished in less than four hours, which still vexes my wife to no end. In the end I found out what I could do and if I do say so myself I didn't do too bad at all.

Hubs

One More Step, One More Mile, One More Finish. ©

January Swag Winner

I'm here been some blog issues. But we are back up and running.

Our January poll winner is hseabrooks. Congrats! Can't wait to see you in your new piece of gear.

We are going to skip February and March is going to be all about the green! Oh and keep on the look out for a post from Hubs all about his 1/2 Marathon experience.

FCR
One More Step, One More Mile, One More Finish. ©

The Results are in....

To start off our year right hubs and I ran in the local YMCA Frostbite 5k. Hubs had a new PR. 44:04. I on the other had did not. I finished just over a minute or so longer than my slowest 5k last year. I'm not too upset about it. I had rolled my ankle Christmas Eve and wasn't even sure I was going to be able to walk the 5k.

I pushed forward and took it easy. It was cold no big deal, I like cold races. It was wet no big deal, all my winter races last year were wet. It was hilly, no big deal there either if you find a flat course in the Middle Tennessee area I sure would like to know where it's at.

I finished in 56:07. The sweep guy was awesome at keeping me mostly on pace.

Recovery was a problem. It didn't help that I wasn't able to get a shower until 4 hours after the race, or that I got rained on. My feet were the thing I was really worried about. I was not recovering the way I had previously.

Oh sure I've had foot pain since I started running. I've tried different shoes, socks and inserts. I finally gave up and went to an orthopedic foot specialist.

Good news no stress fractures. Bad news my feet are 6 ways away from what a runners foot should be.

I am an over pronator, yup flat footed. It also doesn't help that I broke 4 of the 5 metatarsals when I was 10 years old some 27 years ago. Not only did they not heal properly but I was told they should have done screws to keep them in line. Go figure.

So my left foot and my right foot are two different problems sort of. Due to the being flat footed and wearing inserts and shoes for pronators it rolls the foot to the outside so that I'm running on my outer 3 toes, but then my foot rolls in to push off the big toe. I am striking the ground with outside and ball of my foot.

This is the cause of the sock troubles, the blisters on the instep and the sore ball. So I'm suppose to go and get these new uber inserts with a metatarsal bar built into each foot. These are suppose to help me strike correctly, and should get rid of the foot pain all together.

Now on to see if the almighty insurance company will pay for them.

Till Next Time
FCR and Hubs

One More Step, One More Mile, One More Finish. ©

New Poll Up right over ---------> There

Wow so excited for YEAR TWO here at Diary of A Fat Chick Running. Lots of new and exciting things are on the horizon for us. New races, focused training and best of all. We will be running monthly polls.  If you answer the poll, leave a comment about your answer and you might just be the first SWAG winner of the year. We are going to try to do this EVERY month so you will have twelve chances to win something fun.  Sometimes it might be running gear, gift certificates, or other fun SWAG!

So please join us in our kick off and take a moment and fill out the first SWAG poll of the year!


FCR and Hubs.

One More Step, One More Mile, One More Finish. ©

Welcome 2011!

We did not attend any fancy parties or wander around downtown Nashville till the wee hours of the morning ringing in the new year. It came softly in the night as I was in bed by 10pm. I was falling asleep in the computer chair and decided I needed to go to bed.

On this the first day of 2011 we are up early and ready for the first run of the year. The local YMCA Resolution Run this year entitled "So you want a resolution" we are registered for the 5k a nice short distance.

I hope that we can make this a New Years tradition starting the year off healthy and active.

We are looking forward to a year of blessings and trials and most assuredly a year full of happiness and love.

FCR and Hubby

One More Step, One More Mile, One More Finish. ©