• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Home
  • About/Hire Me
    • About Me
    • Hire Me
    • Contact
    • Family
    • Faith
    • FAQ
    • My Running Story
    • Recipes
  • Disney
  • Fitness
    • runDisney Information Page
    • Fitness
    • Races
  • Parenting
  • Travel

Through Heather's Looking Glass

  • Disney
  • Fitness
  • Travel
  • family
  • About Me

You Know You

March 16, 2012 | fitness, injury, motivation, running, Uncategorized

 

Now that Disney Princess is over, as well as RnR New Orleans, it’s time to think about my “spring” training plan. I use the term loosely because it has been spring around here for a long time. Our grass is green already, bees are out, flowers have bloomed.

I have a rule that I will not race in the south between the months of June and September. If I race, it will be a destination race. With the heat and humidity, it’s a death wish. This means I have 2.5 months left to do any type of racing locally.

As far as things I have already signed up for, I will be running a 5k on Saturday, and a half marathon in Pensacola on April 15. I have been focusing on that half since RnR NOLA. I really want to PR, but I also have to be realistic because mid April at the beach around here means it’s most likely going to be hot and humid. I am going to pretend like I am training for any other half, and just hope for the best.

This is how I am tackling the next month. (My half is a month from today!)

Sunday: Rest

Monday: Tempo workout 3-6 miles, weights

Tuesday: easy run 2-4 miles, weights

Wednesday: cross training, yoga, weights

Thursday: Run (maybe hills or sprints) 2-4 miles

Friday: cross train and weights

Saturday: Long run 8-12 miles

I plan to LOOSELY follow this pattern up until the week before, where I will back off of everything a bit, and will do more cross training and easy running than anything. Also, I will be out of town for a week, so it will be interesting to see how I can handle working out on my trip. not going to lie, the long run Saturday may not happen, but hopefully everything else will.

Where did I come up with this plan? Wwweelll I just kind of made it up. I used previous knowledge from a hodge-podge of training plans, and came up with a plan that works FOR ME. Guys, this is the key. When you have been running for awhile, you start learning what works best for your own body. Like I know that if I un more than four days a week I will get an overuse injury. I also know if I don’t go to yoga I will stay really tight, potentially causing injury. I also know weight lifting has gotten me stronger and leaner and I need to do it at least four times a week. These are all things that if you would have asked me a year ago to create a training plan, I would have laughed….and never included yoga or weight lifting.

I have come so far and learned so much about myself since I started running, and being more healthy overall. The “old me” would never spend so much time in a gym, or buying things around the outer edges of the grocery store.

I guess my takeaway for all of you from this, is a meal plan, a training plan, any kind of plan, isn’t a one size fits all thing. Just because your favorite blogger or celebrity is doing something “healthy” does not mean it is in your best interest to follow suit. Please don’t think I am saying it is wrong to use a pre-made training plan, I am just saying sometimes they don’t always suit my needs exactly. Find out what works to help you achieve your personal goals. If you have to make your own training plan, or mix a few together, so be it, but BE YOURSELF, and do what is best for you. After all, who knows you better than you?

Do you come up with your own training plans or use pre-made ones?

Like this:

Like Loading...

Sign up for my newsletter

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Kelly says

    March 16, 2012 at 5:07 am

    I started with an online plan then gradually tailored it to my needs. I mix in speed work and love training on hills. Can’t run anywhere around here without running up a hill it seems. It has done wonders for my endurance.

  2. Jen says

    March 16, 2012 at 5:45 am

    Completely agree! You definitely know your body best. I always download SmartCoach as a guide but tweak the paces, days I workout, etc because after 11 1/2s, I have an idea of what works for me. I hope you PR 🙂

  3. Josie @ happycorredora.com says

    March 16, 2012 at 7:04 am

    Thats great that you listen to your body to avoid overuse injuries. Its a hard lesson to learn.

    I make up my own plans. I am looking around to kind of get the best of various training plans and add them into my own for my next half marathon. And I am also trying to eat better- more protein, more calcium, more vegies etc.

  4. Denise says

    March 16, 2012 at 7:11 am

    When I need motivation I follow a plan because it gives me structure which gets me moving, but eventually I fall away from the plan and go at it my own way. I laughed at when you wrote about “maybe hills.” Like Kelly, hills are basically all we have where I live. I would give anything for a run without hills!

  5. Megan says

    March 16, 2012 at 7:32 am

    So true! I always tweak whatever plan I use because my body can’t always handle what the plan calls for. Not to mention – sometimes I just don’t have the time the plan calls for! (A downside to having two jobs…) Now that the weather is nicer – and more daylight – hopefully I can ramp up my training again! Excited for your Pensacola Half!

  6. Heidi @BananaBuzzbomb says

    March 16, 2012 at 7:36 am

    I tend to take pre-made plans and switch them up to fit my needs, ability, and schedule. Basically it just provides me a rough guideline. Good luck with your training!

  7. Tara Burner says

    March 16, 2012 at 7:44 am

    I just go with the flow
    a lot depends on how bad the ankle is (repeatedly having blown it out, issues with it still…)

  8. Amy Lauren says

    March 16, 2012 at 8:08 am

    I completely agree with you! I always see the premade training plans, but I think *all* of them need a disclaimer that it is just a guide and before anything else, you need to listen to your body. I had a friend who was doing a very tough half marathon plan for her first one, and she was always having knee troubles and stuff. I couldn’t believe her mileage, and she was working out twice a day many days. She’d beat herself up when she didn’t run the full mileage of the plan, too. Everyone is different… some people cannot run more than 3 days straight, others can only run every other day. And it’s great that you figured out how your body likes weight training and yoga, too!

    Good luck with your 5K… totally with ya on racing in the South during the summer! June-August are pretty much time to slow down here :). But since you travel… you could always run a half somewhere else… that would be awesome :).

    • Heather says

      March 16, 2012 at 11:41 am

      thats what happened when I ran providence beginning of august last year, I was WAY undertrained though b/c I don’t run a lot in the summer, so it was a killer race for me lol!

  9. Alaina says

    March 16, 2012 at 8:35 am

    Lately I’ve been printing up pre-made plans either from Hal Higdon or Shape, but then I modify it based on what my schedule is like. It helped me with my last half marathon!

  10. Amanda - RunToTheFinish says

    March 16, 2012 at 10:03 am

    amen, running in miami over the summer is brutal! i have been in marathon training the last two summers and it was just plain silly

  11. Bobby says

    March 16, 2012 at 11:13 am

    After spending over 15 years in gyms, I do self made plans, similar to what you said about using a “hodge podge” of information i have picked up over the years. However, im always willing to learn new stuff, so hopefully im not limiting myself.
    That and join you in some of your runs.

  12. Jess says

    March 16, 2012 at 11:50 am

    I am SO with you on this! I always tailor make my training plans to suit my needs rather than sticking to a plan that someone else created. I just know that 1 – I never fully stick to a plan anyway and 2 – no two plans are created equal and everyone is different. Plus, I’m big on not getting too tied to a plan or else you’ll wind up annoyed everytime something changes in that plan from week-to-week when “life” happens, you know what I mean? I see so many blogger/runner friends drive themselves bonkers trying to follow a training plan down to the T, freaking out every time a run or something doesn’t “follow” the plan exactly. (this is a long way of saying – I totally agree with your approach, haha)

  13. Emily says

    March 18, 2012 at 2:50 pm

    So true!! You really need to do what works for you. I usually take some sort of plan as a guideline and then modify it based on what I know will work for me.

  14. network affiliate marketing says

    May 17, 2014 at 9:53 pm

    I actually wanted to jot down a brief word
    in order to thank you for all of the wonderful guides you are showing here.
    My considerable internet lookup has at the end been paid with beneficial strategies to exchange with my relatives.
    I would assert that many of us site visitors actually are truly
    endowed to live in a very good community with so
    many brilliant people with beneficial hints.

    I feel very grateful to have discovered your entire web
    pages and look forward to really more exciting times
    reading here. Thanks a lot again for everything.

Primary Sidebar

I am Heather Montgomery, a 30 something southern girl living in Knoxville, Tennessee with my husband Bobby, 10-year-old daughter Emma Kate, and our goldendoodles Dolly and Luna. I’m just a regular girl who likes to workout, travel, hang with my family, text, and eat chips and queso. Be sure to check out my “about me” page for more info!
Thank you for visiting, and feel free to contact me with questions, (or for PR inquiries or press trip invites) at Support@HeathersLookingGlass.com.

Please, no guest post requests. 🙂

More about me

Privacy Policy

You can also find me here:

  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • RSS
  • Twitter
  • YouTube

Recent Posts

  • Family Fun in Tuscaloosa: Your Ultimate Getaway Beyond Game Day
  • 5 Reasons to Try a New Way of Travel
  • Experience Superhero-Sized Fun at Gaylord Opryland DC Summer
  • Digital Nomads: Safely Working Remotely While You Roam
  • Tips for Surviving (and Thriving) as a Travel Ball Mom

 

Search

How to Start a Blog

How to start a blog
We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites.
  • Disney
  • Fitness
  • Travel
  • Family
🌴 GIVEAWAY ALERT!🌴 Ready to escape to para 🌴 GIVEAWAY ALERT!🌴 

Ready to escape to paradise? I spent a few dreamy days at Margaritaville Beach Resort Fort Myers, and I’m giving YOU the chance to win 2 FREE nights at this beachfront oasis! 😍☀️ #margaritavillepartner

Here are 5 things I didn’t expect to love so much (but totally did):
1️⃣ Fins Up Beach Club — live music, great drinks, and cabana vibes for days!
2️⃣ The Rooms — bright, coastal decor and ocean views that make you feel like you’re living inside a vacation postcard.
3️⃣ The Spa — a total hidden gem. My massage was next-level relaxation.
4️⃣ The Restaurants — from casual beachfront bites to more elevated dining, the food alone is worth the trip.
5️⃣ The Vibe — laid-back luxury with the perfect mix of fun and relaxation. It’s always 5 o’clock here! 🍹

✨ Whether you’re staying overnight or popping in with a day pass, Margaritaville Beach Resort Fort Myers Beach is pure island bliss.

🎉 Now YOU could win a 2-night stay!

🏖️ Prize: Complimentary Two-Night Stay at Margaritaville Beach Resort Fort Myers Beach
⚠️ Blackout dates apply.

How to Enter:
✅ Like this post & follow both @HeathersLG and @margaritavillefortmyers
✅ Tag at least 2 friends in the comments (extra comments = extra entries!)
✅ Comment: Are you a pool or beach person?

🌟 BONUS (not mandatory) for 5 extra entries: SHARE this post on your stories and TAG me so I can see it!

Good luck — and remember, it’s always island time somewhere! 🌊🍹

Redemption Details:
Winner must book by August 31, 2025
Valid for travel between August 1, 2025 – June 30, 2026

Must be 18+ to enter
Giveaway closes midnight July 25, 3025. Not sponsored by Instagram. 

#MargaritavilleResort #FortMyersBeach #BeachClubVibes #CabanaLife #SpaDay #BeachGetaway #ResortGiveaway #FinsUp
I’ve had an interesting first few days of being I’ve had an interesting first few days of being in my 40’s. A bit of a nerve wracking medical week I guess you could say. 

Have you ever had an MRI? Do you suffer from hearing loss? 👂 

#thisis40 #hearingloss #mri #inmy40s #40andfabulous
✨ This is what radiance looks like ✨ #ad Sin ✨ This is what radiance looks like ✨ #ad 

Since turning forty, I’ve been all about simple changes that help me feel strong, healthy, and confident — inside and out. 

Adding Organixx Collagen to my coffee each morning has been one of the easiest ways to support my skin, hair, and joints while juggling busy mom life. It blends right in and makes me feel like I’m doing something good for myself every single day. 

Because for me, it’s not just about looking good — it’s about feeling my best, staying active, and showing up for the people and moments that matter most. 
Radiance starts from within, and @organixxco helps make it part of my everyday routine.

🤩Use code HMONTGOMERY to save 10%! Link is in my bio.

 #organixx #organixxcollagen #CollagenRoutine #GlowFromWithin #BusyMomLife #ThisIsWhatRadianceLooksLike
I LOVE @disneyphotopass photographers! We have met I LOVE @disneyphotopass photographers! We have met some of the kindest most fun cast members while getting our pictures taken. 

If you don’t get pics taken with them often you probably won’t get this reel, and that’s ok. IYKYK. It’s all in good fun! 💚

What did I miss/forget?😆

#disneyphotopass #photopassphotographer #disneypics #disneyfunny #disneymeme
Follow me for more parenting hacks. 💁🏻‍♀ Follow me for more parenting hacks. 💁🏻‍♀️

#backtoschool #parentinghack #backtoschooltips #backtoschoolshopping
I turned 40 today. 🎉 Hitting a milestone like t I turned 40 today. 🎉 Hitting a milestone like this has me reflecting—not just on what I’ve accomplished, but on who I’m becoming.

I’ve always been driven to achieve, to push, to prove. But lately, I’ve been learning to celebrate presence over performance, connection over perfection.

Today wasn’t about checking a box or hitting a goal—it was about pausing, feeling grateful, and eating a ridiculous amount of cake with people I love. And honestly? That feels like growth.

Here’s to 40: more aligned, more grounded, and still a little extra. 😉

#thisis40 #40andfabulous #thankyoujesusfor40years #birthdaygirl❤️ #40andoverclub
Turning 40 tomorrow. 🎂 Big milestones always Turning 40 tomorrow. 🎂 

Big milestones always make me pause and ask:
What am I proud of?
What needs to shift?
Am I becoming the woman I want to be?

💡 As an Enneagram 3, I’ve always been wired to achieve — and for a long time, that meant shaping myself into whatever version I thought people would like best.

There are tables where it’s clear I’m not welcome — and that used to wreck me.
But at 40? I don’t do cliques. I don’t do shrinking or contorting to be accepted. 👀

I’ll always be kind. I’ll always be respectful. But I’m done dragging a chair to tables that were never built for me.

I’m moving over. Making space.
Creating my own table.

✨Who’s in?

#ThisIs40
#OwnYourStory
#ReelTalk
#Over30Club
#ChristianWomen
#PersonalGrowthJourney
#enneagram3

Copyright © 2025 · Through Heather's Looking Glass · Theme by Bella Creative Studio

%d