Half Marathon Psychological Training

Getting My Brain Into It!

Over the past couple days I have read a lot of articles in regards to the mental aspect of running.  I found this great article on marathon mental training and am going to use it to add to my half marathon training regime.  I will still be running a marathon within the next 12 months but do not see any harm in training my brain to increase my race efficiency.

This training program is based on three aspects of mental training:

1. Mental rehearsal and visualization
2. Imagery
3. Self-Talk

This is all solely based on the internal struggle associated with endurance running or really any tasks that may take a little extra motivation to get through. 

I didn't realize how much mental toughness plays in difficult tasks until i started doing hot yoga.  Firstly I think i need to point out how inflexible i am.  Its to the loin it is almost embarrassing.  I try but still cannot touch my toes.  Yoga to being with was unbelievably hard. Add 105 degrees Fahrenheit and it doesn't get any easier.  The first time I did it i went with my sister and her boyfriend who are like gods when it comes to yoga, dance, fitness and flexibility.  They dance for Shumka and are absolutely amazing at it!

As I struggle to straighten my legs in downward dog they are working on how to increase stretch ad advance the pose... Awesome. Don't get me wrong i love them and to tell you the truth this helped increase my drive to want to get better.  The second time I went to hot yoga I went alone unknowingly going into the hottest studio in Calgary.  I was lucky to get an amazing instructor that personally struggled with flexibility.  As I worked through the postures I consistently had to remind myself that I could do it.  It also helped that the instructor was super motivational too.  By the last standing posture my mind had decided that I didn't want to do this anymore and I had to block that out and reassure myself as my mind fought me to quit.  I won! I did it! I didn't give up on myself and when i finished the feeling of accomplishment was overwhelming that I had a little proud cry (secretly in my jeep afterwards of course).  If I can do 70 minutes of yoga in that heat without giving up on myself then I should be able to do anything!

I have continued to do hot yoga but not as frequently as I would like. I think this would be very beneficial for me in my mental training as well as physical training. I am going to increase it to at least once a week rather then once every couple weeks. 

No back to running! For this mental training plan I have to start by making process goals and outcome goals. Process goals are based on the training where outcome goals focus more on race day.

Here are mine:

Process Goals:

1. Stick to my training plan
1. Yoga (Once or twice a week)
2. Cross Training (twice a week)
3. Running 3 times weekly (minimum)
1. Pace
2. Hill
3. Long Run
4. Weight training (when doing cross training)
2. Eat healthy more consistently 
3. Get more sleep
4. Read before I go to bed
5. Smile while I run

Outcome Goals:

1. Breaking two hours in the half marathon
2. Negative split

Now how am I going to complete this?

Firstly, I am going to start attending the wednesday night running club or Sunday running club at the running room.  I think this may help me find a coach and/or give me a little more direction into improving my running. Secondly I am going to do my long runs in a place of beauty! There is a beautiful lake in town and I think this would be a great environment to run. As my miles increase I may have to expand this location but for now this would be a nice place to run.  Its honestly beautiful! During this long run I am going to work on my mental strategies.  These are some that I read about:

1. Smile 😁
2. Self talk
1. Reminding myself I can do it
2. If it was easy everyone would do it
3. If i quit i will be disappointed in myself
4. The last ten percent in the hardest
5. In one more hour this run will be done
3. Pre set music list
1. Motivational tunes every 3rd song
1. Fight Song
2. Believe
2. Good sing along songs
4. Visualization
1. Picture myself running the half marathon
2. Picture the finish line
3. Picture how amazing its going to feel to finish
4. Picture all my cheerleaders in the sidelines
5. Picture my grandparents cheering for me at the end
5. Imagery
1. Imagine I am prepping for the Olympics as top runner
2. Imagine that running is effortless
3. Imagine being the first in the race

So that't my plan! Hope it helps you if you are trying to work on mental preparation for a race! If you have any tips they are always appreciated! 

And don't forget If it were easy everyone would do it!  ❤️❤️

Thanks Pinterest for the great quo

July Flew By!

Where on earth is this summer going!

Looking back on the past couple months I cannot believe how crazy things have been! My last post was about my run the first week in July so here is an update on the rest of the month! 

My best friend got married!

To start off my very best friend got married on July 18th! I was the Maid of honour so it was a busy couple weeks for me! I am so glad that I got the opportunity to help make this day special for them though.  My best friend is the sweetest, most kind heart and stunning women I have ever met in my entire life.  Everyone says this about their best friends but honestly no one beats her.  I honestly don't know what I would do without her.  She is supportive, honest and i know i can always count on her. She truly makes my life better! 

Now her hubby is quite the gem too! He is a truly amazing guy and always looks out for her.  He has two amazing kids as well.  They are so great I love them all!

The wedding went by flawlessly! The bride was breath taking as you can see and it couldn't have been a more perfect day! 

I even caught the bouquet!

I cross trained like a champ!

I have been working really hard at incorporating weights and other activities into my training program and although its tough I am starting to really enjoy it.  Running is still my favourite though!

I know my training plan keeps changing but I am trying to figure out works best with my body.  Does anyone else find that its hard to figure out which areas you need work on and what exercises work best for you?

Here is what I have been doing:

Monday, Wednesday:  

20 minutes of yoga before bed

30 minutes on the bike, stair master or elliptical

2 sets of each exercise

15 weighted squats (15 pounds)

15 Deadlift backrows (10 pounds)

20 Bridge with chest press

12 wood choppers on each side (10 pounds)

15 reverse fly (10 pounds)

10 split squats on each side (10 pounds)

10 side lunges on each side (10 pounds)

10 lawn mowers on each side (10 pounds)

15 push ups

60 second plank

50 crunches

Tuesday:

15 minute warm up run

9 .25 mile sprints

Thursday:

5 mile run

Saturday:

Long run (trying to get up to 10 miles but its harder then it sounds)

Any input or add ons are really appreciated!

I am a little behind on my half marathon training so I may have to put off my first half marathon to the Okanagon Run in October! 

A night out with some of my favourite people!

On Saturday night my I went out with 4 of some of my favourite people! We went to Yuk Yuks which was hilarious then to 1410 (a pub in the city).  I was really fun!

My moms birthday!

My mom is busy moving right now so we didn't get to celebrate but a huge shoutout to my amazing mother! What a great women and inspiration in both general life and running! If i can even be half the women she is I would consider that a huge accomplishment! Cannot wait for our next race! I am hope to do another 10k in August but have to figure out which day works best!

As much as I would like to think my life is exciting that is honestly all that has happened since my post at the beginning of the month! Time flies when you are having fun!

Hope you are all having an amazing month and summer!

Stampede Road Race: Race Weekend Overview

Race Weekend Overview

This weekend was one for the books, not only was it successful but it truly was a blast!

The Thursday night began with a great run! I did a 45:00 minute pace run! I did this on the treadmill keeping a base speed of 7.5, picking up to 9!  I always get bored on the treadmill so 45 minutes seemed like awhile and I found myself counting down the minutes.  I was lucky to have my mom on the treadmill next to me cheering me on. Any tips on how to stay entertained on the treadmill?  Or any good songs that would add some excitement to my runs?

I continued my night with a great night on the golf course.  This is the first time I have actually pulled out my clubs in a year! Although it started off a little rough I ended up getting back into the swing of things.  We opted to not keep score... That being said it may have taken us a little over three hours for 9 holes.  Hopefully next time we can cut that one in half! Overall it was a really great time!

Friday morning I began my day with a long walk with my dog.  He loves to outside but its to hot for him to go later in the day.  For short runs and walks he is the best little addition to my adventures!

I followed my walk with coffee with a great new addition to my life.... I'm not going to elaborate here just yet but more details are to come!

I spent my afternoon house shopping with my mother! They are moving to Calgary for August 1st and want something perfect. We found a couple great area's and running paths! The great part is that they found a house they love! Success!

We finished our day off our day with a The Spy! I do not remember the last time I went to the theatre so it was a nice change of things and a great way to end my night!  The movie was actually quite entertaining! My parents love Mellissa McCarthy so they got a kick out of it!  Family time is always the best!

I spent my Saturday hydrating and eating healthy for my race on Sunday.  I did some cleaning and spent the rest of the day relaxing!  How do you spend the day before your race?  What are your favourite things to eat? Here is what I had for my meals!

Breakfast:

1 Banana

Oatmeal with one teaspoon of brown sugar

Breakfast smoothie:  

Mixed berries, 

A scoop of Vega Vanilla Protein, 

Teaspoon of Flax Seed, 

1.5 cups of  coconut water

Lunch:

Spinach

One boiled egg

Assorted Peppers

Cucumbers

Mushrooms

Shredded Carrots

Red Onions

One teaspoon of ranch dressing

Dinners:

Brown Rice

Boiled Chicken Breast

Cooked peppers, broccoli, mushrooms, red onions

Side of Siracha

Snack:

Banana

Trailmix 

That leads me to race day!!! I woke up at 6 am and was excited but not nearly as excited as usual, I showered off and had breakfast (same as day before) along with one litre of water.  This was the first race I ran without my parents so this one would be more of an internally driven race then any before. The day was a little cold and windier then I have seen in years! I put on a bit of a warmer outfit then planned and headed to the race! 

Once I got to the race I searched for water but couldn't really find any then spent my last 15 minutes just enjoying the atmosphere. 

The countdown began and I still didn't have my usually excitement but I perked myself up and started my music.  I took off with a bit of slower initial stride but aimed to keep a relatively steady pace of 04:48 per km throughout! There were quite a few hill this time which slowed me down and that wind was hard to break through! Between the cold air and wind the conditions were no ideal.  I had to even slow down for some water! 

As I came around the corner I picked up my pace to go through what I thought was the finish line! As I went through the arch I realized I still had about 3/4 of a kilometre to go.  It took me a second to pick up my pace again but swiftly crossed the finish line at 00:46:16.20.  I was 65th to finished 6th in my category.  My next goal is to complete a 10k in 45 minutes. My next race is on July 25th so I am hoping to make it happen! 

Hope everyone else had an amazing weekend no matter what they did! 

The quote that really feels to fit in my life right now is from Janine Ripper saying "I am exactly where I need to be right now." 

Although I have had a rough go I am feeling quite good in my life and really looking forward to making even more progress in the months to come! 

Cycling eh?!

Some Questions on Cycling!

When I was about 14 years old I biked everywhere... Since then I have biked zero places.  It was always so refreshing and fun! Plus I lived by the mountains so the view was always amazing! I guess the fact that it was my only personal form of transpirations besides walking probably played a role in it all as well. Now that I have a car and a new love for running I do not even remember the last time I rode a bike.  A couple months ago I did do one spin class and actually enjoyed it but got so busy I could only fit in my running for the last bit.  Yesterday was my rest day but I really felt like working out so figured I would give the stationary bike a try.

Did I mention I have no idea what I am doing in this area?

My plan was to do 30 minutes a descent speed.  I have no idea what a descent speed is on a bike or what level to choose. I chose level 10 and aimed to keep my RPM above 70.  I did occasional 30 second to 1 minute bursts where I would push as hard as I could. My legs did hurt occasionally but I really am not sure if it was a good workout or not.

Here are some of my questions in that area... All input is appreciated!

1. What distance is good to aim for when training for a half marathon?
2. What RPM is what you should aim to stay above?
3. How long do you do bursts are standing?
4. What do you do to kill time because biking is a tad boring?
5. Should I just go to a spin class instead of doing it on my own?

Moral of the story is I will do the whole biking thing but I am not happy about it.  I am open to tips make it a more enjoyable and beneficial experience though!

Amazing

Amazing Times With Amazing People!

My week overall was a good one! This was a nice change of vibe from the last couple weeks.  I had to really push myself to actually get going but once I got to the gym or got past that first 1 mile I was happy to be training! Here is what I did this week!

Sunday: Ran 45:00 Minutes at 6.5 MPM with alternating hill heights

Monday: 40:00 Minutes Level 10 on the Elliptical, 30:00 Minutes Core Circuit

Tuesday: 40:00 Minute Run

Wednesday: 35:00 Minute Pace Run (3.86 Miles), 30:00 Minutes Core Circuit

Thursday:  30:00 Minute Fun Run, 25:00 Minutes Stationary Bike

Friday: REST

Saturday: 5 Km Color Me Rad Run!

My total running distance was 21.4 km in 2.55 Hours. I don't think that is really a great amount of running but I feel great about getting back on the path to success in my first half marathon!  I found an article that goes over how much people run and compare it to elite runners when training. It is a great read, I would recommend having a look! 

My goal this week is to get up to 35 miles logged this week!

Here are some highlights from my week!

I got some beautiful flowers delivered to me from a very special person! They really set my week in a good direction! To top it off they are my favourite! Stargazing lilies don't only smell amazing but they are beautiful to look at!

Had an amazing fun run on Thursday with a couple of my coworkers on a beautiful sunny day!! Although it was a little hot it was so great spending my lunch hour with some amazing people doing something I love!

Color me rad was also amazing! It was very hot but had a great group of people that joined me in this fun activity! 

This week I honestly think my overall quote is a great one from Pinterest! It took a little ambition mixed with action to make this week a successful one!

I hope you all have an amazing week! 

I am running a ten Km in the Stampede Road Race on Sunday! Wish me luck!

A Girl Needs Her Tunes

A Girl Needs Her Tunes

I love music that I can relate to! I also find it inspirational and when I cannot express myself or feel lost music always helps! Running is a journey of getting through a tough time and when I am running my music reminds me what I am doing at the points I struggle to keep my mind focused. I made playlists for my 5 km run and my 10 km run.  I wasn't sure how fast I was going to run so the 5 km one is fairly long (I realized with that one as well shuffle is not the way to go).  I also made a 5 km pace training run playlist as well! The 10 km run I made a set playlist using the pace of songs and inspiration as needed.  Here they are if you need some tracks for you next run!

5 Km Run

5 Km Pace Training

10 Km Run

Hope you enjoy them! If you have any good songs for my half marathon playlist I would love input!

Catch Me If You Can!

My First 10k COMPLETE!

Wow what a weekend! This Sunday I ran my first 10 kilometre race and I am just so proud of myself. I went into the race with the idea of making it in 50 minutes. I am now getting to the point where I am transitioning between sprinting and long distance running.. In my opinions anyways.

I have put together some goals that I think will help me prepare for my transition.

1. Two cross training days a week
1. I want to try some new activities and alternate with some that I love so here is the list!
1. Barre
2. Spin
3. Hot yoga
4. Zumba
5. Wall climbing
6. Elliptical Training
7. Body Combat at Good life
8. Body Shred at Good life
9. Kickboxing
2. Three planned runs per week
1. Hill Run (5-8 km on the treadmill at 3.5 incline with some recovery)
2. Long Run (Increasing each weeks by 10 minutes or 3 km)
1. Starting at 1 hour and ten minutes (Goal to run between 11 km and 21 km)
3. Tempo Run (5-8 km outside or on treadmill with a pace under 5 minutes per km)

I know I have put goals on here before but as I am running more my ability and insight into the process is changing.  I am always looking for feedback so any input is added.

Now back to my 10 km run! It was so great minus the cramp that I got after 2 km.  I even hydrated the day before and took great care in prepping.  I am stumped on why I got the cramp! My mom said that maybe banana's in the morning would help.  Any input there?

I started my run same as last time by dragging my mom through the crowd and then working on my breathing and setting my pace. I am amazed at how concentrating on full breathes and having great music to keep me on target.  I lost my mother a few seconds after we cleared the crowed.  I just enjoyed the environment and the run itself, periodically checking to see if my dear momma was on my tails.  I couldn't see her until about km 8 when she caught up to me.  My mom is just so great she told me to stop looking for her because it slows me down and she always has my back and of course will always catch up to me.  Moral of that story... My mom always has my back and will pinch it when she catches me so keep that core engaged!

Once mom caught up to me I stuff with her till the last kilometre.  I really wanted to finish the line with her when that one kilometre sign approached us I grabbed her hand and tried to get her to sprint the last bit with me.  She didn't feel the same and that wonderful little momma of mine didn't want to slow down my time let go of my hand and left me to sprint.  Just for the record I only beat her by 5 seconds.  This is us right after we crossed the finish line!

It was really great and I am so proud of myself! my official time is 48:03 minutes for 10 km with an average pace between 4:35 and 5:45 minutes per kilometre.  I placed 8th in my category! My mom finished first in hers and my day 14th in his! Great day for a race right and I am so lucky have such great parents that do this with me!

I feel very accomplished and like I am right on track for my next goal the lst marathon!

Overall I am happy and I think right on track! My quote and learning lesson from this run definitely would have to be what my mom said to me... My parents they always have my back, even if i can't see them.  

Next race is going to the Color Me Rad race at the end of June and then the big half marathon in August!

Wish me luck and I will keep you updated in my progress throughout!