Do not read page 108, trust me, put the magazine down.

A friend and I were lounging by the pool reading magazines when I came across an article promising to help drop 2 dress sizes permanently.  My friend said, whatever it says, we are going to do.  Flipping to page 108 I discovered (much to my dismay) Run a Half-Marathon.  So we went to the mall and bought running shoes and decided that we were going to do this.  Run a Half- Marathon.

I turn 40 next year so it was decided that we would do this before I turned 40.  Sounds like a bucket list type of goal right? I am always up for checking a bucket list item off my list.  What I failed to consider in my sunny poolside coma, is that RUNNING IS HARD.  I do not have a runners body, I do not run. period.  Perhaps the fact that I didn't own runners shoes should have been a clue but no, I was swept away with the idea of it.

The only time I have run in the past is if someone is chasing me and even then if I have pepper spray I am not going to run.  So what would make me think at 39, I should train for a half marathon?

 Don't get me wrong, when I was buying shoes I tossed out  "I am training for a half-marathon" with the swagger of a seasoned runner. I tried them on and strutted around the store, even jogging in place to "test them out".  But then I drove home and the reality of what I had committed to began to creep in,  I had a nagging feeling that perhaps I couldn't do it.  It is after all 13.1 miles, of running.  I secretly hoped my friend would bail out and I would have an easy excuse to not wear the shoes and train.  But there was a part of me that knew I was in it for the long haul.

So Day 1 of training was 30 minutes of cardio.  I chose water aerobics taught by a family friend in her swimming pool.  She was hugely supportive and I thought, this is good, support is the key to making this happen.  Then I got in the water, she turned on the music and 30 minutes later I was questioning our friendship.  Didn't I mention that this was DAY 1? Why was she pushing me so hard!  I got out of the pool and with noodle arms and legs I made my way to my towel.  After crashing on the couch and eating dinner I had recovered enough to drive home.  I was kind of proud of myself, this was going to work!  That nagging feeling came over me again as I thought of Day 2 of training, run/walk a mile to build endurance.  WHAT?  Run a mile on the 2nd day of training?  What ever happened to easing into something?  If I don't die on the track tonight, I will post again to track my progress.