So you want to run a half marathon?

As the time creeps up for the Disney Princess Half Marathon, which will be my 10th half, all I want to do is talk about it. Let’s be real…I’m going to Florida in the middle of winter to Disney world!!!! CRAY-CRAY!

Anyways, let’s come back down to planet Earth.

I love running…hence the reason this blog is called Eat on the RUN. I hope that with the posts, tweets, facebook updates, and everything else, that I have inspired some of you to take those first few steps out the door and go for a run.

Now, if you’re looking for some motivation to run a half marathon this year (maybe it’s your new year’s resolution), then you’re in luck!

I’ve just teamed up with Zooma Women’s Race Series in Annapolis as their ambassador.

So what does that mean for you??

DISCOUNTS!!! YAY!!!

I’ve been wanting to run Zooma for awhile. It’s the perfect race for new half marathoners since it’s in a beautiful location, the perks are awesome, and it’s a supportive race community. Anytime someone asks about running a race, I always say “make your first one exciting, because then you’ll get hooked”.

If you’re interested in joining me on June 1, 2013 then use the promo code ANNAMB4.

Ok, so now you’ve registered right??? Right……???

If so, you need a plan. I’m OCD and therefore I need structure. Like Rain Man style structure. I’ve used many different training plans, but I always go back to Hal Higdon. Usually I adapt them slightly to what my schedule looks like, whether I’m teaching any fitness classes…etc. I encourage you to do the same. If you know that Saturdays are not a good day to get a long run in, change it!

Here’s the latest version I’ve been using to get ready for the Disney Princess

Disney Princess Training Plan

I’ve also found that having a training partner makes sticking with your goal that much easier. I have a virtual partner right now, my aunt Traci. She’s in Florida and will meet me for the race in February. But it’s even better to have a local running buddy Winking smile Even if they’re not training for the same race, you can still run a few times a week together.

Now…the one thing that I’m not too fond of during training is speed training. Ugh, it’s like track practice all over again (the reason I gave up running for 2 years). I avoid the track, but some people love it. Instead, I use the dreadmill. Not so dreadful for speed training as I find the time flies when I’m playing with different speeds. One of my favorite workouts is what I call “The Pyramid”. Want to incorporate it into your training? Here’s how: