Need a little Faith and Luck

One of my favorite holidays is Saint Patrick's Day.  I don't know why.  I can't explain it, but it is.  This past month my family and I went out to eat at the local Irish Pub a few days before Saint Patrick's Day.  While there, people kept coming in and out of the restaurant picking up their race bibs for the next day.  As I watched person after person come and go with excitement in their eyes for the next day I couldn't help but want to participate.  At the time(and now) I could barely of finished their mile race, let alone the 5K.  I would laugh at the thought of the Half-Marathon.  However, I have made a decision.  I am going to do a Saint Patrick's Day Half-Marathon next year!

I am going to run, jog or drag my Irish self over that finish line in 11 months.  One bad great trait I have inherited is that I am stubborn.  If I make a goal, I will push myself to achieve it.  This is a goal I want to achieve and now that I am writing it down I have to start working towards it.  It is a lofty goal, I am very aware of that.  I have never run in my life.  So, I will have to start by learning how to run!  I have never even run a mile, so a goal of 13 miles is damn near insane.  But you know what?  I can do it.

I used to swim miles upon miles a day throughout high school and it was one of the most relaxing joyful things I have ever done.  I was able to think about nothing but the task at hand.  I could focus purely on the rhythm of my body as I pushed forward.  I could compete against myself.  It never mattered to me how many people could swim faster or longer than me, all that mattered was that I was able to do better than my time before.  I love competing against myself.  I have never run before.  I have always made an excuse for why I couldn't.  It scares me.  However, I know that once I start it is likely to be much like swimming where I will fall in love with it.

Now, how to get started.  Baby steps.  Smaller more attainable goals.  My immediate goal is to attend the local "Walk & Talk" program for the next two weeks.  The main reason for this is to possibly meet a person or two that would be interested in walking or running with me at times.  Working out is always easier when you can have a buddy and none of my local friends have the time, energy or desire to be that person.  I will have my support from afar of my best friend, but she is in California and I am in Indiana.  When we both reach the goal of being ready to run the Half-Marathon we will be meeting either in Indianapolis or Chicago to do it together!  A bit of local support would be great though, so hopefully I can find people in the "Walk & Talk" group with similar goals.

My second goal is to start and finish the Couch to 5K program.  I have downloaded the app already, there really is an app for everything.  My start date will be May 11 which will mean I will have it completed by the beginning of July.  I will sign up for a 5K to do in July.  It will be good timing because Chalk Walk is July 10th, 11th, 12th, and a huge goal is to be in better shape than I am now so I can enjoy it more!  With my first 5K my goal is to jog or run the whole thing.  I don't care about my time or anything, just a goal of no walking.

My goal between attending "Walk & Talk" and the 5K in July is to run for one straight mile.  When I hit that goal you will be hearing about it and I will be ecstatic!  Maybe I'll buy myself something to celebrate like a new sports bra :)