Garmin Coach Half Marathon Training Plan – Week 9

This week went well.  I’m closing in on my race date (19 September) and I feel confident that I can make the distance.  My challenge is to make it in the time I want to finish.  I have been following the coach plan to the T so far.  I tell myself that I should try the plan to figure out if it will work for me.  I did all the workouts during the week, but all my routes have been pretty tamed.  Since I’ve moved near the mountains, I have been hesitant to do any elevated routes because I felt it would make meeting certain metrics harder.  I wouldn’t be able to maintain the pace that the plan demanded of me.  The problem with that is I’m a runner.  I love to run.  I love to run different places.  I explore my surroundings and get a feel for the city I’m in through the runs I do.  It had been three weeks since we moved to Texas and I had only done a few different spots, but most of my runs have been relatively close to home. 

Maybe I was feeling antsy, but I decided that my progression run this week would be me doing an exploratory run in mountains.  The run was hard.  I ended up with an additional 1,000 ft on this run (its 4,000 elevation here).  There were a ton of rocks on the path.  A lot of loose gravel.  My arches were constantly in danger of being punctured by a stone on the trail.  I even tripped twice and almost ate it on some of the downhills.  In other words, it was a great run.  Sometimes we forget why we do what we do.  I don’t run to compete.  I’m not trying to lose weight.  Sure, I have goals.  I enjoy my health, but the reason I run is because I love it.  I love making new routes to destinations I’ve never been to.  I love figuring out how best to get back on track when the route I planned doesn’t pan out.  I enjoy saying “good morning” to passers by.  I love being alone on a trail with just me and all creation.  So it was a good thing to deviate from the plan.  

Next week, I’ll get myself back in line (at least until I get that itch again).