Running in the Redwoods

Ok you can tell by my lack of posts that I've been in a mulling phase. I'm trying to work with this new shot and the process of going way up, and falling way down, and then climbing back up. Basically, I'm trying to get the timing down so I feel fairly well all the time, and tweek my workout schedule to ensure that happens. It's been an interesting challenge so far. As of right now, I'm going to try to get more shots, in the hopes that I can avoid that lovely feeling I like to call "being hit by a bus".

I've changed my training plan substantially, as I've opted out of PF Chang's 1/2 this year. I just don't feel like my body is quite ready for the riggers of another long race. However, I have found the most exciting race that I plan to do the first week of May - the Avenue of the Giants 1/2 marathon!

Tell me this race doesn't sound perfect for a Phoenician? It's in May, in the the woods, in 60 degree temperatures, no time cut offs, and best of all it's $45 entry fee. Did I mention that it's in the woods? And not just any old woods, we're talking Redwood National Forest. They say that the 1/2 marathon course is the most scenic of all the options, and looking at the pictures I have to agree. It's perfect since Lilac and I were planning on doing our annual girls only trip around the giants anyway, might as well get a race out of it! She's not 100% sold on the 1/2 idea, but I basically told her that with no cut off, we can run/walk/stop and take pictures as much as we want. Just consider it a day hike, and it's a piece of cake!

(I have no idea who this is in the picture, but you need to see the scope of how massive these beasts really are).

The plan winds up working out perfectly, and I'll start running my "long" runs with an easy 3.5 this weekend, and slowly build up by 0.5 miles each week (cutting every 4th week in half, and then repeating the previous week 3 the following week) culminating in that big 10 miler the middle of April, with a perfect 2 week taper leading into the race.

This rotating 4 week plan has worked best for me in the past, so I'm going to keep up with it - and hope that I can get the shot in line as well.

I'm SO excited to go see the Redwoods (a bucket list item) and to be able to enjoy a day running with them is going to be awesome.

I'll be keeping you updated on my training successes here!