WEEK 15: And the final countdown begins!
Week 15: Chi Running Pain Free Half Marathon Training Program: Long, Slow, Distance Run
Distance: 7.81 mi. / Time: 1 hour 20 min. / Average Pace: 10:16 min./mi.
One week to go! The Camarillo Half Marathon is a week from tomorrow! And best of all, I think I’m ready to run it in my FiveFinger shoes. I ran almost 8 miles this morning and felt really strong at the end. The ChiRunning training program for today recommended doing as much of the last 10 minutes of the run in “3rd gear” as possible. This means leaning from the ankles more and going faster. Often when I try to do this, my legs just don’t feel like they can support the added speed, but today I felt my form lock in, and it was like I had springs in all the right places. These 15 weeks have been such an experiment in feeling the muscles in my body get stronger, correcting my form while running to eliminate pain, eating differently (less carbs, more vegetables and fat = more energy for Allison).
These were my ChiRunning “form focuses” for the run today. Every week I write some on my hand and focus on one every 10 minutes. They keep me as relaxed and centered as possible. These will be the ones I use for the race next week. 
I’m really looking forward to this race because it will be a real accomplishment for me to run 13.1 miles in the FiveFinger shoes. It kindof amazes me that 15 weeks ago I could barely run 1 mile in them. It’s a completely flat course, run all on the roads around the local agricultural fields, so it is attracting many people for their first half marathon, or for a PR, including some teachers from the district I work at. It also reduces the stress level because, as Camarillo is the town I was born and raised in, I’m familiar with the area, parking, packet-pick up location, etc.
This week’s goals are to:
1. Eat a lot of good carbs (sweet potato, squash, veggies, etc. Hardly any grains)
2. Go to sleep by 9:30pm every night. (I have to wake up at 5:30am for work)
3. Do an easy run on Tues. and Thurs., focusing on starting pace.
4. Drink a bunch of water.
5. Iron on my blog logo to my running shirt to wear on race day.
6. Have fun spreading the word about the joys of barefoot running and how great it makes me feel.
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