13.1 miles?!?!?

Yup, I signed up for the Buffalo half marathon. I'm really excited for this race, too. 

 The only other race I've ran was my city's annual 8K Turkey Trot. The Buffalo half marathon is 13.1 miles...that's a.lot.of.miles. I don't have a training schedule set yet, but since the race is at the end of May and it's only February, I think I'll be able to make a decent track for myself.

This week, I'm working on 6 miles. I managed to get my first run of 6 miles done today in 55 minutes. I bet I could have done it faster, but I need to start learning about pacing for distance. The Turkey Trot was only 5 miles, so could be a good mix of speed and distance. 13.1 miles is definitely going to require a lot of balance between speed and distance.

One thing I'm realizing more an more is the importance of stretching. It helps to loosen up my muscles before I run, and then post run, it helps stretch them and sooth any burning in the muscles caused by lactic acid. I found this little gem and have been doing it post-run almost every time now. 

Even if you're not a runner, these yoga moves/stretches are a great way to loosen up and feel refreshed. Enjoy!