WEEK 15: HALF MARATHON 2020

​TRAINING PLAN STARTS The 50th Anniversary of Earth Day, April 22, 2020 falls on Wednesday this week.  The first celebration of our ‘Mother’ occurred back in 1970. 
 
We can take care of the Earth any day of the year, or many days of the year, we tell ourselves.  But sometimes the fact that a special day has been specifically reserved for an event increases the likelihood it will be honored. 
 
For many this weekend, rather than April 22 itself, may offer the best chance for observance, especially if work or home duties will potentially make doing so on the official date difficult. Are you planning anything this week that shows appreciation for our planetary home or provides a little extra TLC for the environment? 
 
In our daily non-running, non-fitness lives occasionally we don’t accomplish what was in our hearts and minds to do on a certain day. It’s convenient to give a shrug of the shoulders and then neglect the necessary task or responsibility.  We just don’t do it, forget about it, cross it off the ‘to-do’ list. 
 
However, critical long run/walk sessions for specific upcoming endurance races cannot be performed any random day of the year.  To save the situation, in the case of training for this 2020 half marathon, Earned Runs has you covered to accommodate a miss.  There’s enough wiggle room in the schedule.  
 
Walkers have their longest distance session of the plan this weekend and can make up a in week 16, omitting a taper week to get it in if missed*. Runners have already begun their taper, and it is sufficiently long that shortening it won’t be a problem. 
 
Let yourself begin to mentally relax, knowing that 4 months of hard work is behind you, and that in general both runners and walkers are prepared for the challenge ahead. If possible, pick up trash along the way on your cool down session today or any day this week.  It’s a chance to love our Earth!
 
RUN & MOVE HAPPY!
 
*Walkers training for a half marathon are essentially READY for their competition on any day.  If not registered for an organized virtual race, walkers can extend this upcoming weekend’s 13 mile walk to 13.1 miles and will accomplish their goal race!