Running

I'm on my second training day of my Couch to 5K (C25K) program. It starts out doing a run/walk program and at the end it has you running for 30 minutes, very similar to the Galloway running system. The first week starts with a 5 minute walk, followed by alternating running for a minute and then walking for a minute and a half of walking for 20 minutes and then finish up with a 5 minute walk to cool down. I spent $2.99 on this app for my Ipod and it lets me listen to music and then breaks in with alerts to tell me when to run and walk. It's nice because I don't have to think about it or even look at my Ipod. It's like having a little electronic coach. I'm sure it could vary a lot from person to person because it's not a set pace but in today's 30 minute workout I went just over two miles. Pretty good for just getting started I think.

I'll be running several 5K races with my family when I go home for the holidays but I had thought I would find a half-marathon to train for. I did a couple of ten mile runs when I was in high school so a half would be my longest race distance. I thought during Wil's deployment that training for a distance I've never done before would help keep me motivated. However it turns out that mid-November through January in Michigan is not a popular time for half-marathons. The closest I've been able to find is a good three hours from my parents' house.

My next thought was to do the Great Aloha Run after I returned from Michigan, it's "only" 8 miles but it would still be a long race to train for. However when looking over their website I discovered this:

"DISQUALIFICATION: Anyone who does not follow Great Aloha Run safety rules and procedures MAY BE DELETED FROM THE OFFICIAL RESULTS AND DISQUALIFIED FROM THE GREAT ALOHA RUN FOR UP TO FIVE YEARS.

Major violations include:
• Jumping into the race along the course
• Running with a baby jogger, stroller, or assisted wheelchair
• Starting in the wrong color group
• Disregarding generally accepted rules for the safe and fair conduct of a running event"

Um, yes, running parents need not apply for the race. So much for Aloha.

So I'm stuck still looking for a "big" race to train for.