Getting with the Program

I'm just about done with the 10k program. I'm really feeling good about things. My running is improving. Not as fast as I would like, but it IS improving. I'm paying attention to my heart rate. I'm really not using any scientific method to 'keep to HR'. I go by feel. I know that I can carry on a conversation and run at the same time when my HR is around 160. Once I hit 180, it's all over. I can't talk, my breathing is heavy, I'm struggling. A heart rate of 170 isn't very comfortable but it can be sustainable. By that I mean if I'm in the 170's and I have 2 miles left to go, I can keep my current pace. With training, I try to keep my heart rate in the 160's. Doing my walk/run runs I tend to get higher, in the 180's if I'm out on the road. The treadmill keeps me at one pace consistently so it's easier for me to stay in the 160's. All this is to say, I think it's boring. I hate thinking about my heart rate. One could argue that it isn't really worth my time to worry about my heart rate. However, I want to use this rebuilding time to build a good fitness base. I want to build up my endurance so that I can sustain my way through a half marathon or a sprint triathlon and not bottom out at the last mile. What is my body telling me? Forget heart rate and just run, run to feel, run to get it done. My legs want to go so much faster than they are right now. My mind is the one that keeps telling my legs to slow down, let my heart get used to this exercise. Let my heart get used to how things feel while doing exercise. So, it's a battle. One that I know if I keep to the program and keep track of my heart rate I will be grateful for all this work down the line. However, even with this battle, I still want to keep going. I want to keep running, keep biking, keep swimming. I will say that there are some days I don't want to get out of bed. That I want to stay in the covers and just let the time tick right on by. However, the days that I do force myself out of bed are the days that I love my run/bike/swim the most. Good thing, as I start the half marathon training program this week. I signed up for the very cool Wineglass Half Marathon back in December. I'm looking forward to this for so many reasons. My only goal is the same I have for ANY running race: To run the whole time (maybe a walk break at the halfway point).