Saturday, I start the “official” training for the October 10th Hartford half marathon. My training for Richmond, a short 5-weeks later, will have to wait for the Hartford half training, although much of the training coincides (12 miles in my taper for Hartford is the same week that getting cranked up to 12 for Richmond occurs, and 13 for Richmond is the same day as the Hartford half). The only conflict is in the weeks between the races, when I am cranking up the mileage after completing the Hartford half. That plan has injury spelled all over it… so I will need to see how I feel.

It’s a good, 18-week program that basically has you running each Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, and Sunday. Tuesday and Thursday are short runs (3 miles for the first few weeks), Wednesday cranks it up a bit (4 miles for a few weeks, then 5 and eventually 6), and the Saturday runs are the longest and the ones that I fear.

I don’t fear the first long run since I’ve been already covering more than 5 miles while building my base mileage. It’s the 7, 8, 9+ mile trips that I fear. I’ve actually been having a difficult time figuring out where to run without subjecting myself to too many hills and being in a place that I could get picked up if all goes poorly and I get injured. I know I shouldn’t be worried about these things, but I’m running solo. I do carry my charged cell, my RoadID with my contact info, and a fuel belt with enough to make it through about 10 miles without replacement liquid. That means I’m prepared physically – I will need to get tough mentally to pull through. I have planned the work, and now I just need to work the plan.

My second and third half marathons this fall should fear me… at least that’s what I keep telling myself…

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