Jedi Jen's Quest to 26.2 - Entry 2 - First week done!

Done with my first week of marathon training!! I feel great! (Tired, but great!)

1/3/2012:

Day two (technically day one, but day one is a rest day, hehe) called for 4 miles. Since it was my first day of official training, I was feeling a bit nervous! My friend Katie was nice enough to come along with me. (She is also training for OKCMM!) Let me tell you about Katie since you will most likely read about her some times in my blog. Katie was a junior in HS my first year teaching. During her senior year, she was one of my band aides and we became close. She is now at the University of Kansas studying to be a Music Therapist and we still remain in close contact and try to run together any time she is in town. I am so proud of Katie and her bright future. She really feels more like a little sister to me! 

On Tuesday we met in Norman to run along Robinson Ave. If you live in the area, this is a nice, flat path. There are a couple stoplights, but only around the two mile mark. When I was training for my first half marathon, I did some speed workouts here because of the nice conditions of the area. (And, it's more entertaining than a track!)

The map from our run!

And...first run of training is DONE! 

1/5/2012:

Day four called for 3 miles. This worked out quite nicely because I usually do 3 miles at the Red Coyote Running & Fitness Social Runs on Thursdays! (http://redcoyoterunning.com/) This was the first social run of the new year & I had a couple friends come out for their first social run! I ran this with one of my best friends, Genevieve. Gen was a little nervous since she hadn't been to a run like this before. (Which I totally was too, so I am so happy we were able to run together!) We had a nice time running our three miles in OKC. The weather was gorgeous and we got some quality time together. It looks like her schedule is going to make it possible for her to be able to make it on a usual basis to the Thursday night runs - I am so excited about this! Now we will hopefully get at least an hour a week together...and being active while visiting!! :) 

1/6/2012:

Day five called for a walk. The weather was SO amazing - it was so difficult to not run. (In the 60s when I was out. I think it got up around the 70s today though. Wow!) But, I knew I had my six miles to do the next morning so I just enjoyed the scenery and listened to music. :)

Some cows I saw while on my walk! 

1/7/2012:

Day seven - the first of the long runs! 6 miles were on the schedule! Because of the Red Coyote social runs, I met a bunch of people from the OKC Landrunners and I am now a member! (http://www.okcrunning.org/) To join the Landrunners was probably one of the best decisions I have ever made. I already felt so welcomed before even joining (I got to eat dinner with several of them in Tulsa the night before the Route 66 Half Marathon in November) and I was blown away this morning! Over 350 people were in attendance for this first training run! The course was set up for six miles today. Typically the people training for the full do the full distance and the people training for the half do half the distance - but you can obviously do whatever you want or need! :) 

During announcements before we started!

I wasn't quite sure what to expect since I haven't done anything like this. People were so encouraging along the way and people of all different paces were there. I ran the first two miles with my friend Clinton who is training for the half. After Clinton turned around, I met up with some fellow OKC Zebras along the way. (The OKC Zebras & Zebros are Landrunners who wear zebra stuff! :) I am #16!) Then around mile 4 something really cool happened. There was a guy who kept running about 50 feet and then walking, repeat etc. We kept going back and forth with each other because I stayed running the whole time. I couldn't figure out if this was part of his strategy or if he wasn't having a good run or what. I kept an eye on him but kept to myself at first. Around mile five a guy passed us and said something about my zebra tights. I laughed and said something back and then the guy I had been running near said, "I really like the encouragement you get from all of the people out here." I agreed and we talked a little about the run and the Landrunners. He went on to tell me that he was happy I came along in the run. The first three miles were fine for him and then he started to really struggle. He said I set the pace and kept him running to the end. He was actually pushing me along and I told him the same. Running is such an awesome activity - especially the people you get to meet along the way. (Literally! Okay, lame joke.)

 I love running in the city!! We passed mile 18 of OKCMM along the way...OMG!

Very pleased with my splits today! Love that my fastest mile was my last!

The weather was incredible this morning! Yesterday it got up around 70F I believe, so I was worried this morning would get too warm. Nope! The wind chill kept around 32F! My favorite running weather!!

After the training runs I have heard that it is tradition to go to the Starbucks that is near. Of course this was not a problem with me! The place was PACKED! And with runners!! I got my oatmeal and coffee and enjoyed visiting and meeting runners from OKC. This was a very good day. I am so excited about the future of my training!!

Even though the cold is nice for runs...it's cold again after! This was a nice, warm treat!

Some of the OKC Zebras!!

Well, that was week one of my quest to 26.2! I am very excited and hopeful for the rest of my training! Happy running!