Oh boy, am I sore... & half marathon thoughts.

So I ran today and I even was a good girl and ran on a 1 percent incline to stimulate running on the street, and boy am I sore!

I made sure I took a good chunk of time to stretch before and after, and that really seemed to hold off the ankle pain, which is awesome. But now just about every part of my legs is sore. I actually kind of wish I had more time at the gym so I could add some more cardio- just some bike riding or something, I wouldn't have overdone it. I really do think I need to add some supplemental cardio to my workout, because the running is great, but it's really not burning many calories. The whole idea of the running plan is just to build endurance for longer runs.

But alas, today is Christmas Eve, and there wasn't much time to be had with the last-minute shopping and wrapping and whatnot. Tomorrow I won't run (Christmas, clearly...I'll be eating all day) and I'll get back to the gym Saturday or Sunday.

I don't want to get too ahead of myself - I want to do the New Year's Day 5k, and then the Feb. 7 5k - but I am really, really thinking about doing a half marathon (13.1 miles!) in June in Boston. I'd be doing the Team Challenge thing - it's a fundraiser run for Crohn's Disease and ulcerative colitis. Basically, you raise money for the foundation and they give you:

Coaching and training
Accommodations for race weekend
The opportunity to make your athletic goals a reality
A connection with an honored patient
Professional training as a group on the weekends at a venue near you
All the tools and help you need to raise your funds – you’ll even get your own free web page for fundraising support
Receive a t-shirt when you sign up for the challenge, plus a racing singlet for the half marathon
Inspirational Pasta party the night before the race, so you and your friends can load up on the essential carbs
Team Challenge After Party celebration following the race with music, fun and friends

Sounds great to me .... If I can get through this training program and build my endurance, running a half marathon would be such a dream come true. I'm mulling it over. I don't want to get too ahead of myself. We'll see what happens.