back to basics?

Well, it's September. I have been training for my marathon for 5 months. But I have only successfully ran more than 13 miles a handful of times. Like maybe three times. Maybe.

I have lots of exucuses as to why my running has been less than stellar:
it's been so hot
my knees hurt
my toes hurt
it's hot
5:30 is SO early
did I mention the heat?

I have not been getting my weekday runs in like I need to and I am concerned that I am not going to make the full marathon in December. I really want to do the full distance, but I don't want to be miserable while doing it. At this point, I am really considering scaling back and just work on completing the turkey day half then taking the full distance in the spring when things have (hopefully) settled down some.

For right now, though, the December race is still on and my primary goal is to start getting my weekday runs in! Begining this week!

My "first" half marathon!

This Saturday I am running 13.1 miles! From this weekend on, I will be running at least a half marathon each week. WOOT!

Atlanta Half Marathon

Today I registered for the Atlanta Thanksgiving Day Half Marathon.

I have kept up with my running pretty well despite random schedule issues, projectile dirrhea (Bella, NOT me!), vacations, and injuries. I am running about 4 times a week and this Saturday's long run will be 10 miles. I am wearing clothes that I haven't worn since before we got married in 06. And even some of those clothes are already too big. I feel great and look great and have run over 100 miles since the beginning of May.

My target marathon: Rocket City in Huntsville on 12/13/08

Buckhead

Last week during my run in Buckhead, I waved at guy being arrested.

Today on my way to Buckhead to run, I saw a man being arrested.

Wonder what next week will hold?

This is my first drop back week...did 4.2 miles today. will do 4 on Saturday. Am going to try to do at least two tomorrow and Thursday.

The next week's long run is 7 miles. woot!

so,um, yeah...

I have decided to train for a half marathon. unofficially. The training group that I recently joined has me training for a WHOLE marathon. MY plan is to see where I stand come August and register for a race of the appropriate distance. Funny thing: 26.2 miles doesn't seem that impossible. And 13.1 is likely doable by June or July at the rate that I am going.

I have been a "runner" since about 2002-ish, you know off an on. But more off than on. After hearing through the grapevine that my dad had triple bypass surgery and was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes, and given my own health issues, I knew it was time to do something. I found a local running group and figured that was what I needed to actually get my butt in gear.

I ran 4.5 miles last Saturday. I did walk alot, but I ran more than I have in about two years. And last night, I ran 5 miles. Really RAN, only stopping for traffic lights, etc. And it wasn't that hard!

So check back for updates about fun things I find on my run (like dead squirrels) and other randome musings of a slow ass, but nonetheless, runner!

should I or shouldn't I?

short story: I am strugling with the decision to sign up for a marathon training group.

Good:
--(in theory) it will get me offa my butt
--I can say I ran a half and/or whole marathon!
--my health will improve. my dad evidently just had triple bypass surgery and was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes. he has been on high BP and cholesterol meds as long as I can remember. he has had TWO heart attacks, the first of which he was only about 35. surprisingly, while its been thought provoking, it hasnt given me the scare I think it should have. maybe it's because I really don't have a relationship with my dad?

not so good:
--it's kind of pricey. it's almost $200 for a years worth of support. when you crunch the numbers, its really not THAT bad (less than a gym membership) and you get other stuff too... but the immediate cost is high. at least to me, right now it is.

--what do I do if i back out? how do I keep myself from backing out? which I guess is my real fear. not running 13 or 26 miles, or logging all of those training miles. I am afraid I am going quit and waste all that money like i did with not one, but TWO gym memberships AND a boot camp, not to mention a master's degree.

--I don't really want to deal with matt poking fun at me about running a long race. he does it just to pester me, he would never doing something like that to be mean...but still. in my head, I know one of the best ways to be accountable is to tell everyone what I am doing that way they ask me about it. and I dont want to tell everyone that I bailed on my training...

these are just some of the thoughts going round in my little head...I kind of feel like im making a mountian out of what should be a mole hill, but running a half has been something that I have thought about doing for about the last year and a half. the major problem is that I lack the discipline to train alone and have found excuses to bail out of so many things, even things not related to my health and well being.

I have about two weeks to decide...help me.

sucker

I paid $68 for an oil change yesterday.