The Countdown has begun!

Happy Labor Day Everybody!

I hope you all have had a nice day. I know not everyone gets today off so I won't assume everyone has barbecued and swam and whatnot. We did have a nice weekend. We went to Stephen F. Austin State Park today and did some hiking. In fact the wife, my daughter and good friend of ours hiked just under 3 miles (my best estimate) and it was very nice. If you've never been there, it's just north of I-10 near Sealy. http://www.tpwd.state.tx.us/spdest/findadest/parks/stephen_f_austin_and_san_felipe/

So, we're 10 weeks away! This is now crunch time. I have created a Patented Wogger Specific 10-Week Plan To Prepare For A 1/2 Marathon (and by created I mean stole from Runner's World).  The main trick is going to be following it. With your all's help and good thoughts and comments my wife and I will finish the training plan and not embarrass ourselves at the 1/2 in San Antonio.

Here is the plan for week 1 (taken from the Runner's World Website):

Day #1
Week 1
REST/XT
Welcome to week one of Runner's World's Half-Marathon Plan for beginners. Each Monday, you'll get a note describing your training for the week ahead. And every day, you'll receive an e-mail reminding you about your workout, plus tips on training, nutrition, and injury prevention. In most weeks throughout the program, you'll have three short runs, three days for rest or cross-training, and one long, slow distance (LSD) run to help you develop the endurance you'll need to cover 13.1 miles. You'll also have the option of cross-training (XT), which will help you build endurance and stave off burnout. You'll log some miles faster than your normal pace--at what's designated as half-marathon pace (HMP)--to build your stamina and keep you strong in the later stages of the race. Your training kicks off with a rest day. Mondays are always reserved for rest so you can recover from the previous week. If you want to run more miles than the program prescribes, do it on an easy day. Don't extend any run by more than one or two miles, and don't add miles on Saturday (the day before your long run).

Day #2
2 MILES
Run at a comfortable pace, easy enough that you can hold a conversation. If you're huffing and puffing, you're going too fast. Don't worry about your speed. Just focus on covering the distance.

Day #3
REST/XT
Ideally, you won't exercise at all on these days. But it's okay to do a no-impact activity like yoga, stretching, or swimming. Whatever you do, just take it easy.

Day #4
4 MILES
Be sure to sandwich each run with a warmup and cooldown of five to 10 minutes of walking and easy jogging, even on days that call for short, easy runs. Doing so will help you feel more comfortable on the run and will help prevent injuries such as muscle pulls.

Day #5
REST/XT
On easy days, you can cross-train with an activity such as cycling or using an elliptical trainer. Put in a sustained aerobic effort for the same amount of time you'd spend on the day's mileage.

Day #6
2 MILES
A well-kept training log can help keep you injury free. Taking notes on how you feel after each run can help you learn the difference between the inevitable soreness from hard workouts and an emerging injury that needs medical attention.

Day #7
5 MILES LSD
Today is your first long, slow distance (LSD) run. Since you'll be running farther, you can go out slower than you usually do. On these days your goal is just to cover the distance.

If you want,you can go to the Runner's World website http://www.runnersworld.com/article/0,7120,s6-238-244-258-13719-0,00.html and  purchase the plan. I think you get access to an on-line trainer. Or, you can follow along here and I will let you know what the next step is. So if you want to train with me know that this is what I plan to do for this week. So far we have done well!

Saturday my wife and I Wogged 4.4 miles. She also got fitted for some shoes at Luke's Locker and is going to have them broken in for the 1/2 marathon. Today we hiked just under 3 miles. So game on. Or rather Marathon on. Or 1/2 Marathon.

I hope you all have a wonderful week and I will let you know on Thursday how it is going. Plus I think I am going to take another look at the gear I will need.