Wearing: Sweaty Betty 7/8 Power Legging – Sweaty Betty Pace Setter Run Tank – Brooks Ghost 9

This weekend I made a conscious effort to disconnect from social media, especially on Sunday. There were many running friends racing their hearts out in Montreal, New York, Berlin and beyond. Once upon a time, each of those races, Berlin Marathon, Bronx 10 Miler and Montreal Half Marathon,  were my goal race. The Berlin Marathon was the last time I laced up my shoes and ran 26.2 miles, crossing the finish line in tears. The Bronx 10 Miler was a great race for me last year, after training hard during my first Summer back in New York. This year, I hoped that Montreal would be my opportunity to run a sub two-hour half marathon after multiple attempts.  Training hard was not a priority this Summer and instead here I sit in late September, trying to figure out what my goal is this Fall. As I have mentioned previously, after giving my body a few months of rest I am ready to train again for a goal.

I spent a few hours this weekend outlining plans and have set my sights and goals on the following races:

• Rock’n’Roll Brooklyn Half Marathon – October 8th – Goal: Run a strong, smart half marathon. I have no expectation of setting a PR based on my training, so instead am going to run with my friend Mary and focus on a consistent pace, possibly increasing my pace if I feel strong enough during the final miles. The four long runs leading up to the race have given me the confidence to know I can run 13-miles.
• Prospect Park Turkey Trot – November 24th – Goal: Run a sub 42:00 race which would be a PR versus last years 42:36 time (8:31 pace).  Since I have a solid two months to train for this race, I believe it is feasible.
• NYRR Jingle Bell Jog – Each year, this race continues to be a favorite due to the cool weather, festive atmosphere and Prospect Park location. Four years ago, I ran a personal best in this race, keeping an 8:57 pace per mile. Based on my training for the Turkey Trot, my goal is going to be an 8:31 pace.

Over the coming months I am going to share weekly training recaps with you guys since many people find them beneficial. I am also going to do more research and speak with some of my coaching friends to ensure I’m training for these shorter distances properly. I am most familiar with the half marathon type of training which includes three key runs per week, so I know I need to figure out the training plan that works best for shorter distances.

So, who wants to join me at some of these races? 

Thank you to Lydia Hudgens for her magic behind the lens in bringing this image to life.