A Big Hairy Audacious Goal

Ever have a big hairy audacious goal?

You know...a goal so big that you almost were afraid to even think of it or say it out loud (or blog about it)?

Well, I have a few such goals...and here's one of them:

I really want to get my 13.1 time closer to the 2-hour mark. Ideally, I'd LOVE to spank a sub 2:00 before 2018 is over and done. ((gulp))


The thing is, I'm not exactly training specifically for that one and only goal. I'm training for a marathon (which isn't until October 13th), so I will be doing a lot of double digit training runs in the next 7-8 weeks. Although I'm not setting my sights on a gargantuan marathon PR, I do hope to run those 26.2 miles strongly and without incident.

I don't think my 2:00 goal (or under) is unrealistic. I have done it before (several times, actually), but it has been awhile since my last sub-2 half marathon (Red Shoe Half Marathon, May 2016). So far, in 2018, I have run three half marathons and one 20K, and I have been quite happy with my finish times:

St. Paddy's Half Marathon 2:13:08 (March 17th)
Drake Relays Half Marathon 2:08:14 (April 22nd)
Dam to Dam 20K 2:07 (June 2nd)
Chicago R'n'R Half Marathon  2:11:23 (July 22nd)

All of these involved stopping for pics, and/or potty breaks. St. Paddy's was very cold and windy. Drake was very hilly and I had only had a couple hours of sleep (after having worked all night at the after-prom party). Dam to Dam started with hurricane-like conditions, and ended with full-on sun and high heat/humidity. Chicago R'n'R had almost nonstop rain and several photo ops. None the less, despite the various less-than-desirable race day circumstances, I felt strong and didn't have any "issues of struggle" throughout any of these races. Obviously, the various stops cost me a few valuable minutes here and there, otherwise I coulda/woulda/shoulda been closer to that coveted 2:00 finish time. Also, I wasn't really "racing" any of these races, so there's no telling how much faster I could have finished had I made a sincere effort to run faster.

Anyways, my next opportunity is the New Bo Half Marathon (September 2nd in Cedar Rapids, IA).  It's a race I have never run before, so I don't really know much about the course. I do know I will be thick in the midst of continuous long runs each weekend. Either my body will be in prime condition, or it may be starting to feel fatigued from all of those long training runs.

Another half marathon that I am considering is the R'n'R Philadelphia (September16th). I'm still ironing out a few last-minute logistics before I officially register, but this race would be happening during my peak marathon mileage. I have my 20-miler happening the weekend following Philly, then tapering for the marathon after that. A scaled-back run of 13.1 miles (in the city of brotherly love, none the less) would fit nicely into the mix, don't you think?

One main thing I'm doing differently this training cycle is consistent weekly speedwork. I had not done much (if any) speed training for many of my other previous half marathons (prior to this summer). I'm also doing HIIT workouts, which I believe have boosted my fitness substantially. I have had some decent races this summer, so I'm hoping for that momentum to continue if I stay true to training smart.

Most of my HIIT workouts involve burpees...LOTS of burpees

Another favorite workout that has enhanced my stamina, as well as my cardio endurance, is stair-climbing. They say hills are speedwork in disguise... well, stairs are like hills on steroids.

powering UP the stairs

So, that's my Big Hairy Audacious Goal, and my strategy to make it happen. Basically, I'm hoping my marathon training will not only reward me with a successful trip across another 26.2 finish line, but also give me the increased stamina to knock off a few stray minutes from my recent 13.1 finish times. I'm not hoping to PR either distance, but merely run both distances strong. Stay tuned!

What do you think? Have you ever used half marathons (as training runs) in prepping for a longer distance? Ever utilized marathon training to enhance your half marathon performance? Do you have any big hairy audacious goals to share?

**I'm linking up with Marcia and Patty and Erika for Tuesdays on the Run.

**I'm also linking this with Debbie and Rachel and Marc and Lora for the Running Coaches' Corner

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