I’ve decided to challenge myself to become a Half-Fanatic. Having run distances from 5K all the way up to 26.2M, I can easily say that the half was my favorite distance. I’ve tossed around running a full marathon again fairly soon, but I think I’ll hold off on that one for a while (there is a Disney marathon that would make a fun family trip!).
The easiest route to becoming an official Half Fanatic is to run 3 half-marathons in a 90 day time frame. I’ve got that covered because there are 3 half-marathons this fall/winter/spring that I’m itching to try out or attempt again. I had considered a September half but I know Atlanta and it will still be freaking hot here in mid-September. Y’all remember what I said about the heat the other day, right?
So the chosen races are the Silver Comet Half (10/30), the Atlanta Thanksgiving Half (11/25) and the Aviation Foundation Half (1/15). I love running out at the Silver Comet trail and have been wanting to do that half forever. The Thanksgiving Day race was my first half marathon ever and is a challenging hilly course. I’d love to see if I can do better at that one. The Aviation half is out in Warner Robins, where my good college girlfriend now lives. This will force me to stop being so lazy and drive the 2 hours+ out for a visit! I also love that it is a winter race. I love running in the cold. My fastest 10K ever was on a snowy day.
I do not expect to PR with every half-marathon attempt I make in pursuit of this challenge. I am going to focus on training hard for the first race – the Silver Comet and take it easy for the Thanksgiving race. That one will just serve as a calorie-burning so that I can throw down guilt-free on Turkey Day. I’m going to ramp it up again with the training for the January race.
The best thing about my plan is that if I do get crazy and decide to run the ING full marathon in late March, I’ll have 10 weeks to train and will be in good shape from half-marathon training!
I am *so* with you there. A full can be so daunting. But a half. A half can be done even on a bad day. I have been on the hunt for the flattest, nicest half in a two hour radius. Hoping that will go well and I will be hooked once again.
Yes! You can train up in 10 weeks and it isn’t physically exhausting like that for a full on marathon. I really had no idea how sweet the half was until I did the full.
Aww – I wish you were doing the Zooma half at Chateau Elan on November 5th. I’m doing the 5k on that day and I would love to be there to cheer you across the finish line after I finish my race.
Hmm, I might come check you out at the Silver Comet race… depends on the location of the finish line.
I thought about that one but the reviews were less than positive. Plus, they said the course was really hard and it is like $95 for registration.
I plan on doing the Siilver Comet (and I need to register before it sells out!) as well as Thanksgiving! Not quite the fanatic you are trying to be…but close!
You are so close! You should do the Jan 1/2 with me. Then you’d be there.