Half Marathon Training - Day 2

So I haven't blogged in awhile (suprise!), but since I decided to run in a half marathon, I thought it would be a good motivator if I blogged about it more often than every 10 months.
I will be running in the Salt Lake City marathon on April 21, 2012, which is 25 weeks away. I found a training program online and adjusted it to my schedule. The program is as follows:

Week	Sun	Mon	Tues	Wed	Thu	Fri	Sat
1&2	Rest	3 m run + strength	4 m run	30 min cross	3 m run	2 m run or cross	Stretch & Strengthen
3&4	Rest	3 m run + strength	4 m run	30 min cross	3 m run	2 m run or cross	Stretch & Strengthen
5&6	Rest	3.5 m run + strength	5 m run	40 min cross	3.5 m run	2 m run or cross	Stretch & Strengthen
7&8	Rest	3.5 m run + strength	5 m run	40 min cross	3.5 m run	2 m run or cross	Stretch & Strengthen
9&10	Rest	4 m run + strength	6 m run	40 min cross	4 m run	2 m run or cross	Stretch & Strengthen
11&12	Rest	4 m run + strength	6 m run	50 min cross	4 m run	Rest	5-K Race
13&14	Rest	4.5 m run + strength	7 m run	50 min cross	4.5 m run	3 m run or cross	Stretch & Strengthen
15&16	Rest	4.5 m run + strength	8 m run	50 min cross	4.5 m run	3 m run or cross	Stretch & Strengthen
17&18	Rest	5 m run + strength	8 m run	60 min cross	5 m run	Rest	10-K Race
19,20,21	Rest	5 m run + strength	9 m run	60 min cross	5 m run	3 m run or cross	Stretch & Strengthen
22,23,24	Rest	5 m run + strength	10 m run	60 min cross	5 m run	3 m run or cross	Stretch & Strengthen
25	Rest	4 m run	10 m run	60 min cross	Rest	Rest	Half Marathon

It's a 12 week program, but since the race is more than double that, I thought it would be good to do each week twice.

Yesterday morning, I went to the gym, planning to do a 3 mile run, and then do some strength training, focusing on my upper body. I was only able to do a 2 mile run, but I sprinted the last lap, then I walked 4 laps, then ran another 3 laps. I logged myself doing just a 2 mile run. Then I went into the weight room and started with 2 sets of 20 reps on the chest fly. OUCH! Boy, are my muscles weak!! Then I did another machine, working my shoulders and arms, but I can't remember what it's called. It's kind of like the chest fly, except my elbows aren't bent, and I pull back, instead of press forward. Anyway, I did 2 sets of those 20 reps and my arms were shaking, like they were made of jell-o. I did one more set of the same machine, except reverse, and I couldn't do any more. I'm such a weakling!
This morning, my program called for me to run 4 miles. Since I could only do 2 yesterday, I didn't have high hopes of doing 4, but I decided to push myself as far as I could. About a half mile into my run, I was already struggling and decided that 2 miles just might be it for me. But after I did 2, I felt I was doing ok and decided to do the full 4 miles. I struggled a bit, so I slowed my pace slightly, and that helped. I decided to push myself really hard and sprint the last lap. I finished 4 miles in 43:45, which is just under 11 miles/min.
My diet? Well, I'm trying to increase my protein and carbs. I'm not doing vegan while I train (for now anyway), so I've been eating egg whites and sausage (I know ... fatty!) with whole wheat toast for breakfast. Yesterday was Halloween, and I sneaked about 4 pieces of candy from my kids. I know I really need to cut way back on sugar. So, if I can stay away from their candy, I can pretty much do ANYTHING! I put their candy in a bag, closed it, and put it up and away where I can't see it.

I need to lose about 50 lbs. That will help my runs a great deal. So, limit the candy and fat, and keep doing my training ...... I should be able to lose quite a bit of that 50 lbs before the half.