Training schedule

Here's what my workouts look like this week:
Monday- NROLFW Stage 1, Workout 5A, 20 minutes on the elliptical
Tuesday- 2 easy miles, 45 minutes of yoga for runners
Wednesday- 5 mile tempo run
Thursday- 2 mile easy run, NROLFW Stage 1, Workout 5B
Friday- 45 minutes yoga for runners
Saturday- 9 mile long run
Sunday- rest

I started out training for this half marathon using Half Higdon's intermediate half program. I began obsessively reading about different training programs and came up with my own, which was a combination of Hal's program and the Furman FIRST program. That lasted a couple of weeks until I broke down and went back to Runner's Worlds SmartCoach. I just can't help myself! I love SmartCoach! The OCD part of me really like how specific it is. I feel reassured when I am able to meet or exceed the distances and times that it gives me.

If you aren't familiar with NROLFW (New Rules of Lifting for Women), you should familiarize yourself with it ASAP. I love this program! I tried to incorporate strength training last year when I first began exercising, but I felt lost in the weight room. I would bounce around from machine to machine terrified of setting foot in the free weight section. NROL has given me direction, confidence, and an insane amount of strength. I foolishly stopped the program in January after I finished Stage 1 because I thought it would be counterproductive to strength train while training for another half. I was so strong when I first started half training that I had great stamina and my form was spot on. That should not have been the case considering that I had to take 1.5 months off after my injury. I credit my quick jump back into running with the strength I gained doing NROL.

I started back today and skipped a little to the middle of stage 1. As the past month has worn on, I realized that I am beginning to deal with nagging injuries again. I am convinced that this is because I stopped strength training. I'm hoping that the addition of NROL and yoga will help keep me in top form and able to train.