Next Saturday I’ll be running in the Country Music Half Marathon here in Nashville. Exercising outdoors in the springtime, whether that’s running, biking or hiking, has always been something I love to do. The weather starts to get warmer, the trees and flowers start blooming. It’s a really great time for me to be in nature and think, reflect and spend time with God.

I’m training for this longer race because I love doing it. But for health reasons, the majority of the time I do burst training and weight training. I have home gym equipment so I can lift weights in the mornings. In the summer I swim laps at the pool or the lake.

Training

Sometimes it can be hard to find time to train for a longer race like a half marathon, but I schedule times to work out and stick to it. Often I’ll wake up early, run for 40 minutes, then get ready for the rest of my day. Other times I’ll fit in a run during my lunch break.

I loosely follow the training schedule from a book called the Triathlete’s Training Bible. I’ll typically do 4 runs each week:

• A long distance run
• A speed run (typically 3 1200s at the track)
• A tempo run (1/2 the distance of the race at a typical race speed)
• A fun run (on a course I really enjoy or trail running)

Some of my favorite routes to run here in Nashville are at Edwin Warner Park or in the Cane Ridge area where I’m able to run past lots of beautiful horse farms.

What to Eat

Many people ask me what I typically eat before, during and after a race. As you might have expected, I DON’T think the night before pasta party is a good idea! Those refined carbs will turn right to sugar in your body and won’t sustain you in the long run.

About 2 hours before my race I will usually eat about 1 cup of organic applesauce with 1 scoop of pea protein powder. During the race I’ll just drink water, or coconut water, if I can. My post-race smoothie is made with coconut milk, bananas, strawberries and protein powder (or raw eggs).

Why I Run

Running with a purpose is also really important to me. Running for something bigger than myself. On April 24th, I’ll be running for Mercy Ministries. I love having the opportunity to raise money to help girls who are struggling with eating disorders, self-harm or who have been victims of sex trafficking.

You can join or just support my team on the Run for Mercy page here. All the money will go toward giving these girls a new hope for their lives.

I’d love for you to join me or come visit me after the race. Look for the Mercy girls with the bright pink shirts. I’ll be the one with the Last of the Mohicans soundtrack blaring from my iPod.

Question: Do you run for something bigger than yourself? Leave a comment below and tell me about it…