Things I LOVE about Spring!

(Numbered for reference - not to indicate importance)

1. Being reminded of the infinite shades of green God has created
2. Budding trees, bushes and flowers
3. Taking the dog for walks (no, we don't go for walks in the winter)
4. Fresh air - in my home, in my car, in my lungs
5. Hearing birds chirping in the morning
6. It's sunny when I wake up AND when I come home from work
7. Putting away my heavy winter coat
8. Turning off the seat heaters in the car
9. Rediscovering my warm weather wardrobe
10.Running outside without an ear warmer, scarf, warmth layer, wind layer, or runny nose

And so so much more... I think Spring is my favorite season - at least until summer comes around! What do you love about spring?

Countdown to Half Marathon - 11 Weeks

This past week marked the official begining of my Half Marathon training. I am still struggling with knee pain but I believe I've identified the cause and am taking steps to heal and prevent further injury. That said - I ended up walking for about 1 mile of my 4 mile run this week : (.

I began the week by gearing up with new shoes and sunglasses. We have a great running store just down the road from us - a true gem and it's right here in Lakeville! The staff is very knowledgable and they have a great selection of shoes. Their customer service is top notch - an absolute must for a running store. They work with each customer individually to determine what type of shoe you should be wearing and they only let you try on the shoes that are right for your feet (think pronation). I've purchased my last three pairs of shoes here and I highly recommend it.

My training schedule includes 1 day of rest, 1 day of yoga, 1 - 2 days of cross training and 3 - 4 days of running. My first two runs this week were 3 miles each and felt really good - plenty of energy and no knee pain. My long run this week was only 4 miles but as I noted earlier I ended up walking about 1 mile of it. I started walking due to knee pain but had to extend my walking due to ice. Yep - ice. Minnesota has started to thaw (hooray!) but at 7:00 on Saturday morning the sun hasn't been out long enough to melt the thin layer of ice that has formed on the sidewalks overnight. It was a bummer but my knee probably needed the rest.

I ended my first week of training today with a BEAUTIFUL walk (cross training). It was absolutely gorgeous in Minnesota today! I've lived here long enough to know that the rug can still be pulled out from under us - even this close to Spring - but that's really what makes days like today so special. The rest of the week is supposed to be gorgeous as well so I'm hoping to get out of they gym and onto the road for at least some of my running.