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Two weeks from this weekend, Jesse and I will be running the Kaiser Permanente Half Marathon. This will be my second time participating; this race was my second race (and half marathon) ever back in 2011. For my second time running this race, I planned on executing a proper training cycle. I didn’t anticipate the length of time away from running I would need to recover from North Face; my knee has hurt during every run after a few miles. Our trip to Kauai and the holidays also disrupted training plans during December. I think a PR is salvageable, though, and a 1:55 finish is not out of the question.

Kaiser doesn't have their photos from 2011 posted anymore, so here's a photo of my first race ever, the Jungle Run Half Marathon. It would take a few years until I graduated from cotton tank tops.

Kaiser doesn’t have their photos from 2011 posted anymore, so here’s a photo of my first race ever, the Jungle Run Half Marathon. It would take a few years until I graduated from cotton tank tops.

My plans leading up to race day:

  • Ice: After this morning’s somewhat painful 4.5 mile run, I’m scared into regular icing. I plan on icing during the evening and particularly after the two long runs I have planned before the race.
  • Foam rolling and stretching: During the holidays, Jesse and I slacked on daily foam rolling and stretching. The pull out bed and our guests’ belongings took over our living room, but we’re ready to get back into nightly foam rolling and stretching sessions. I had a massage on Monday, so I’m hoping this will help reset my tight IT bands.
  • Speedwork: I’m not lacking in endurance. I’ve completed a 50K and finished third in a half marathon during the last six weeks. With my achy knee, running has been difficult, but when I can push through the pain, I want my workouts to count. Speedwork, including tempo runs and intervals, will help make the most out of my time leading up to February 1.

I think that this race will ultimately come down to how my knee feels on race day. The KP Half, held in Golden Gate Park and along Ocean Beach, is PR-perfect, with a mostly flat and downhill course. I’m optimistic about my knee and my ability to dig deep for some speed.