Exciting announcement folks! I have registered for my second half marathon! Literally before I even crossed the finish line at the Smuttynose Rockfest Half Marathon I kept thinking, I cannot wait to sign up for another 13.1. Well, as of yesterday morning I am registered for the St. Luke’s Half Marathon in Allentown, PA on April 28.
I’ve heard really good things about this race already. For one, it is in the town next to me so it will be really nice to not have to travel far for a race. Also, it’s a scenic course through some of Allentown’s parks. The race is about medium sized with a 4,000 runner limit and has a course time limit of 3 hours so it should be pretty competitive.
Why did I sign up? Well, I’ve come up with a semi-informal race schedule for 2013 that will (hopefully!) end in a full marathon in the fall. My plan is to first work on some speed by training for a sub-50 minute 10K, which I’ll run in January. Then, I want to run two half marathons in the spring/early summer before I start training for a full.
I realize this is a little bit ambitious but if all goes as planned I know I’ll be able to have the endurance to run a full marathon and with any luck I’ll lower my half marathon time. While the St. Luke’s Half Marathon is about six months away, the 14-week training plan, designed by Runner’s World’s own Chief Running Officer, Bart Yasso, begins on January 19- the weekend after my 10K (perfect timing, right?). So for now, I’ll focus on my 10K training until it’s time to ramp up for the half!
Have you been thinking about your 2013 race schedule? What’s your running goal?
Fit Girl. Happy Girl. 
I’ve been thinking about an April/May half…maybe I’ll check this one out! Thanks for sharing!
You’re welcome! If you live in the area you should definitely check it out!
I live in NJ, so it’s definitely within range!
I’m debating registering for my first half in April, and I’m about 90 percent sure I’m going to do it. I’m excited! Other than that, I’ll probably throw in some fun 5ks and maybe a 10k. We’ll see!
That’s great! You should definitely register for a half marathon if you feel like you’re ready. It’s a great distance!
YAY- congratulations:) I always like to have some race on my schedule so I have something that I’m working towards. I already have a race planned for the first weekend of May, but that’s it so far for 2013.
Agreed :) It’s nice to have things to look forward to and work hard for. I’m sure you’ll find more races soon!
Congratulations! It’s addicting! I love half marathons! I’m on the prowl for a sub 50 min 10k as well!
Thanks! And me too, I think the half marathon distance is absolutely perfect! Although I haven’t done a full yet so I’m a little biased…
Good for you. It’s good to plan out your races for the year. That way you can plan your life around your running. ;). Having a race on your schedule is also a great way to stay motivated.
Half marathons are a lot of fun. A Full marathon can also be fun but it is also a ton of work to get to the finish line.
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