Week 12 Half Marathon Training

Week 12


I am off plan now so I will probably just start listing out what I've done each day.


Monday - Some upper body strength training
Tuesday - 3.24 miles running in 34:04, then a 1.47 mile walk (not counted in mileage)
Wednesday - Exercise Bike, 8.6 miles in 30 minutes
Thursday - Exercise Bike, 11.8 miles in 45 minutes
Friday - Rest 
Saturday - 4.03 miles in 43:58, lots of random walking around the beach and stuff
Sunday - 3.08 miles in 33:59


Totals: 10.35 miles in 1:52:01 plus some cross training


I'm trying to figure out how to handle some calf pain.  I am trying to figure out if this is just muscle soreness I need to push through, or a potential injury.  It affects both calves and I have to describe it more as just being really, really stiff.  But to the point that, at times, I have to hobble around.  And it's the kind of pain that hurts more when I transition from a walk to run but resolves a little bit as I run.


I tried to lay off running for a few days in a row last week to see if it would help.  It kind of did- the pain was less, but still there.  And to me it doesn't feel like a normal injury pain (not that I have experience with running injuries or anything like that.)  I also didn't get a long run in- I wanted to make this a ramp down week anyways, and we were out of town for the weekend, so I just wanted to enjoy the scenery.  


My runs on Saturday and Sunday were on the boardwalk/beach at Rehoboth Beach, DE.  When I was on the boardwalk my pace was under 10:00 a mile, but I slowed down on the actual beach.  First, I walked from the boardwalk to the water where I was running.  The sand was really soft and I didn't want to try to run until it was packed harder by the water.  Second, I just was taking it slow, enjoying the waves crashing, etc.  On Sunday I did walk almost a full split (.25 miles) trying to figure out where to get back from the beach.   How can you beat running along side this:

I might throw out my idea of doing a 13 mile run before the half marathon.  If I wanted to do that, I'd be aiming for 11 this week, 12 next, and 13 the week after.  But I really don't want to hurt myself.  (Then that would work perfectly for tapering down for the actual half.  That would give almost 2 weeks before the race to just do shorter runs.)  I could modify it and do 11 then 13 the next two weeks.  But I don't know if I'll be able to run 11 this weekend.


I don't really have a lot more to say about training.  Mostly right now I'm trying to figure out what I should do with this calf pain.  I don't think a lot of people read this blog, but I'll take any advice if you have any!  Especially from people who've done this training before.


I did try changing back to the purple shoes on my Sunday run but one day of running probably isn't going to make a noticeable difference.


Mileage on shoes

Teal: 362.8 miles (retired)
Purple: 68 miles (have also been wearing them regularly though)
Brooks: 53.1 miles