{only half crazy}

I've blogged a LOT about my half marathon training these last six months. I am MORE than excited for it, but at the same time I am terrified of failure. I was on a great training path just be Christmas and then I got sick, the weather turned into what a Wisconsin winter really looks like, and I just haven't been able to get back into it hardcore like I was.

A few weeks ago I ran my longest run to date... 10.5 miles. At the end of that race I knew I could probably finish the half with little to no problems. And then came the next day and my whole body just hurt. What the hell did I do to myself?!

Since then, I have been having some minor knee issues. Some of which I'm sure are due to recovering from the race, some of which I'm thinking are due to what the runner's people call... runner's knee, and some of which were due to old shoes. These knees problems are the majority of what has me so worried about this upcoming race.

Last week I ran 5.5 miles in my old shoes and my knees killed... literally killed! If that were the day I had my half, I would have been in tears for the second half of the race or better yet, probably have dropped out. It was that bad. Since then I've gotten new shoes, took a few days off, and this week have been slowly working back into it. But people, I'm still scared. I'm scared too push myself too hard in the new shoes right off the bat, hurting my knees more, and then not even being able to run next weekend.

Earlier this week, I had a great three mile run. I probably PR'd it (personal record). It felt great, although I still had some minor knee pain. I rested Tuesday, and then hit the treadmill (because mother nature seems to be going through PMS right now) last night and kept the pace down and ran for about 2.5 miles. I stopped at the second I felt the slightest bit of knee pain coming on. I ran at 5.5 mph for 2.5 miles at zero incline, then walked at 4.0 mph for the last half mile at a 9 incline, which is insane people! I am seriously hoping for some warmer weather on Saturday so I can get outside and try to pop out a good 6 or 7 mile run and see how the legs, specifically the knees are doing.

Whether or not I hit my goal next weekend (aiming for two hours and thirty minutes), I will know that I've given it my all and that I've earned it! I will cross that finish line with a smile on my face and probably look like a dork in the photos that are taken, but I will have set out to accomplish something I NEVER thought I could do!

I started this running journey six months ago not being able to run for sixty seconds straight.

I cannot believe how far I've come!

13.1 miles, bring it. I showed the 17k who's the boss, I'm going to show you as well!

CIAO! LOVE ME!