To Rock or Not to Rock the Parkway?

I haven't participated in The Domestic Wannabe's Move it Monday in awhile so I'm hopping back on the bandwagon this week. I've been debating on whether or not to run the Rock the Parkway half marathon for weeks now, and I'm still undecided. Decisiveness definitely isn't one of my strong suits. I know that I want to run at least one half marathon this year since I didn't get one in last year, but I really hate running outside in the cold. I'm such a baby.

If I decide to run this race, I think I am going to use Hal Higdon's Intermediate Program, but change it up slightly. Hal has strength & stretch days on Mondays, but there is a 5:30 a.m. Strictly Strength class at Lifetime that I usually go to on Tuesday's so I would flip flop those days. He also has long runs planned for Sunday, but I don't like to have them hanging over my head all weekend (and would like the option to go out on Saturday nights if I so choose) so I think I would get the long runs out of the way first thing Saturday morning. My 12 week training program would be something like this:

I used his Novice 1 and Novice 2 programs for my last two half marathons and actually ran slower than my first half marathon so I'm on mission to PR this race (if I run it). Otherwise what is the point?!? Here are my times from my three half marathons:

Flying Pig Half Marathon Cincinnati, OH - 1.56.28
Waddell & Reed Half Marathon Kansas City, MO - 1.59.00
Rock 'n' Roll Half Marathon St. Louis, MO - 1.57.05

The first half marathon I ran was by far the hardest and had the absolute worst weather conditions (pouring rain, thunder, lightening). I had sopping wet shoes before I even started running and had quarter sized blisters on both feet after the first mile. It also probably didn't help that I was running in Nike Shox. Whoops! I guess the miserable conditions and bad shoes really motivated me to finish. I also think the fact that I lived on the race course and was training on a good portion of the hills day in and day out probably helped.

I definitely skimped on the training for my second half (and didn't sign up until the day before the race), and my time clearly shows that. I started training in Cincinnati, but ended up moving back to Kansas midway through the 12 week program and kind of just stopped following it altogether. I ran here and there in the weeks leading up to the race, but usually just on the treadmill.

For the St. Louis Rock 'n' Roll half marathon I trained with my best friend Dani, and we ended up running almost the entire race together. We started and finished together and that is all that matters :) I was close to beating my PR this race, but no cigar. I attribute my slowness in this race to the few extra lbs I was carrying around this time. I had just gotten into a new relationship, and all the cocktails and eating out really caught up to me. I've got the pictures to prove it. Yikes. Note to self - do NOT under any circumstance let yourself gain 5-8 pounds the next time you get into a new relationship.

Here is where I need all of you. Does anyone have any tips for running outside when it is freezing? Honestly, I really haven't even given it a shot, but running from my apartment to the car in the mornings is about all I can take. What type of work out gear do you wear? Looks like I might be forced to make a trip to lululemon in the next few weeks :) Also, is anyone in KC planning on running this race and do you want to train together some days? I'm going to need some motivation (if I actually sign up)!