Bataan is on!!!

I was hesitant to sign up for this race, no lie. However, since I have the go-ahead from my cardiologist and the funds to pay for it, Bataan is on, people! I asked my awesome runner-Army-wife-kindred-spirit friend Natalie her advice on prepping for 26.2 in just six weeks. I ran 13.1 on January 14, finishing in 2:19, which is really strong for not having formally trained for that race. That wasn’t even a month ago. I’ve kept my mileage light since then… I guess you could say I’ve been half-heartedly training for some 26.2 at some point….

I have some things definitely on my side for Bataan. 1) That I’ve run a “long” distance race recently. 2) That I have marathon training and racing experience. I would never attempt this if I didn’t have both those things. 3) I’m running this race for a bigger purpose than a PR. In fact, I have no time constraint. The average time for Bataan is 7 hours and 43 minutes. A lot of soldiers ruck this race with 35+ lbs on their backs. I’m running it for the bad-ass-ness of the race (and distance! and terrain!) but also to honor those who have served our country in the military.

It’s gonna be a rough race. Like I’ve posted before, it’s sandy, windy, you kinda sorta gain 1300 ft of elevation, and yes, it’s out in the middle of the desert. Hydration and nutrition are super-important. Recovery after the long runs is crucial. Training on hills or hiking on rough terrain is also priority.

Here’s what my training schedule looks like for long runs: no room for missing them!

Week of….

February 12 — 12 miles

February 19 — 16 miles

February 26 — 20 miles

March 4 — 12 miles

March 11 — 16 miles

March 18 — 12 miles

March 25 —  26.2!

 

And during the week…..

Sunday — long run

Monday — cross train/recovery

Tuesday — rest

Wednesday — run

Thursday — hike/run on rough terrain

Friday — run

Saturday – rest

 

I’m committed. I’m registered. The only other issue is transitioning to the Minimus, which can’t be done without caution. So I’ll go slow at it. No promises on wearing those on race day!

And one final thought….

Is it crazy that I’m kind of looking forward to running in the cold Midwestern air??