Sitting exactly two months in front of the first half marathon of the year – Fargo Half Marathon on May 21st – brings forth eight strong weeks of training for the event. Mixed into this will be a couple other 5K/10K events to get into race mode.
I don’t know why sickness keeps tagging along with me, but it’s finally getting beat with the help of extra time to sleep and less time traveling for work. That will make the biggest difference in these next two months.
This is also the time many start to seriously think about if they’re going to run in the spring and which race they’ll be doing. With the way so many of these races are getting more popular, you might want to hurry up and make your commitment now. Fargo has a cap for each race, as do several other races around the area such as the Grandma’s Marathon in Duluth, which your chances of getting into the half marathon there don’t exist anymore. The lottery has been drawn and the numbers chosen as to who will be participating in that one.
The thing I tell people when it comes to deciding whether or not they’re going to take the plunge and actually go for it…if you have had any thought of trying an event, even if it’s one that might seem “too far” for you, do it. Circumstances may come up in the future that won’t allow you to take part when you really know you wanted to try it. So go for it. There will be thousands of people there cheering you on, thousands of other runners encouraging you to go farther and lots of great entertainment, food and fun to be had by all throughout the weekend!
Eight weeks is plenty of time to prepare yourself for a half marathon. If it’s your first full and you’re thinking Fargo … that could be a different story. But it definitely is possible. Anything is that you set your mind to and do. Get on track, stay on track and keep your focus on what you’re intending to accomplish. Challenge a friend, form a team of runners to go as a group…just do whatever it takes to get you out there and experience what is the Fargo Marathon event.
I’m starting to see more and more people out running. You see it in the fitness center and now with the weather finally starting to warm up and melt some of the snow away, the outdoors running style is starting to become more popular here in northwestern Minnesota! My outdoors running will start up soon, I think. The only place I train usually outdoors is at the high school track in Mahnomen. Not only do you get the fresh air, the wind in your face and the pounding of a hard surface for your feet to be more physically prepared; you also drive yourself absolutely crazy running around an oval shaped track for an hour or more. A half marathon is just over 52 laps around a track. Run one lap and think to yourself, wow, only 51 more and I’ve done a half marathon. I did it once for training last summer, in the rain. Not for fun, not even part of my training route or program…just to see how fast I could do it in. I ran it the fastest I’ve ever gone 13.1 miles before (without a flag). One hour and fifty-eight minutes. I actually didn’t mind the rain, it was to the point you wanted to get it done quicker so you could go inside and dry up and you really don’t think much about how painful it’s going to be from forcing a longer stride and faster pace. I didn’t care, I was going for it. Worked out pretty darn good!
Whether you exercise inside or outside, the two keys words are: you exercise! When you’re done, you feel great. You’re more energized because the blood is flowing through your entire body, especially the brain, making it easier to think clearer and become more positive for the rest of the day. I hate mornings until I actually get going, such as starting out with a work out. Kick starts your day the right way.
We’ll see you at the finish line May 21st in Fargo, ND!!
I don’t know why sickness keeps tagging along with me, but it’s finally getting beat with the help of extra time to sleep and less time traveling for work. That will make the biggest difference in these next two months.
This is also the time many start to seriously think about if they’re going to run in the spring and which race they’ll be doing. With the way so many of these races are getting more popular, you might want to hurry up and make your commitment now. Fargo has a cap for each race, as do several other races around the area such as the Grandma’s Marathon in Duluth, which your chances of getting into the half marathon there don’t exist anymore. The lottery has been drawn and the numbers chosen as to who will be participating in that one.
The thing I tell people when it comes to deciding whether or not they’re going to take the plunge and actually go for it…if you have had any thought of trying an event, even if it’s one that might seem “too far” for you, do it. Circumstances may come up in the future that won’t allow you to take part when you really know you wanted to try it. So go for it. There will be thousands of people there cheering you on, thousands of other runners encouraging you to go farther and lots of great entertainment, food and fun to be had by all throughout the weekend!
Eight weeks is plenty of time to prepare yourself for a half marathon. If it’s your first full and you’re thinking Fargo … that could be a different story. But it definitely is possible. Anything is that you set your mind to and do. Get on track, stay on track and keep your focus on what you’re intending to accomplish. Challenge a friend, form a team of runners to go as a group…just do whatever it takes to get you out there and experience what is the Fargo Marathon event.
I’m starting to see more and more people out running. You see it in the fitness center and now with the weather finally starting to warm up and melt some of the snow away, the outdoors running style is starting to become more popular here in northwestern Minnesota! My outdoors running will start up soon, I think. The only place I train usually outdoors is at the high school track in Mahnomen. Not only do you get the fresh air, the wind in your face and the pounding of a hard surface for your feet to be more physically prepared; you also drive yourself absolutely crazy running around an oval shaped track for an hour or more. A half marathon is just over 52 laps around a track. Run one lap and think to yourself, wow, only 51 more and I’ve done a half marathon. I did it once for training last summer, in the rain. Not for fun, not even part of my training route or program…just to see how fast I could do it in. I ran it the fastest I’ve ever gone 13.1 miles before (without a flag). One hour and fifty-eight minutes. I actually didn’t mind the rain, it was to the point you wanted to get it done quicker so you could go inside and dry up and you really don’t think much about how painful it’s going to be from forcing a longer stride and faster pace. I didn’t care, I was going for it. Worked out pretty darn good!
Whether you exercise inside or outside, the two keys words are: you exercise! When you’re done, you feel great. You’re more energized because the blood is flowing through your entire body, especially the brain, making it easier to think clearer and become more positive for the rest of the day. I hate mornings until I actually get going, such as starting out with a work out. Kick starts your day the right way.
We’ll see you at the finish line May 21st in Fargo, ND!!
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