This is one of those posts that I'm writing simply for the accountability, and also because this will probably be entertaining to watch over the course of a year. Also, it's going to make Lisa and Julie (my friends from high school) laugh.
My friends, I have signed up for the 2011 New York Marathon.
Actually, I guess technically I signed up for the lottery for the New York marathon, but if I don't get in I'm going to run an alternate one during the year so there you go.
Here's why this is amusing. I'm not a runner, I'm not good at any sports, and I only started exercising regularly about 5 or 6 years ago, and that exercise (up to last week) was in the form of really long walks with the dog.
I was not a track and field person, and in fact, it has been said that I run like a Muppet. I am a thin person, but I do not believe I have ever been called "athletic.". Right now, people I went to high school and did P. E. with (like Lisa and Julie) are nodding their heads like "Yep, that is so true." I think maybe the lack of athletic prowess has something to do with my spindly, flailing limbs, but I could be wrong.
So, what's the deal? I don't know what came over me, except for the fact that when I get an idea in my head of something that sounds like it would be cool to do (like write a novel, for example) I try to just go ahead and do that thing, and I like to do these things despite (and perhaps because of) never having done that thing before. Pesky details be damned! I am running that marathon, people!
Where to begin? I got some new shoes and some sports bras (Holy shit! Running hurts your boobs), and I have been keeping notes. I will recap for you now:
Day One of training- I run one mile, very slowly. This feels fine– perhaps I already have an advantage from all that speed-walking, but I can definitely run more than when I was in the tenth grade. I have to remind myself not to overdo it, because if you know anything about me, you know that once I get an idea in my head, I cannot let it go. This will actually be a good exercise for me in terms of pacing myself. One mile goes well, so I speed walk three more.
First week: I work out every day anyway, but since now I'm trying to learn how to run, I try to do a little of that every day now. Stephan (dudes, he runs a six minute mile, I am not joking, his workout is "I ran ten miles") tells me not to run every single day, and for once I take his advice. Wow– maybe this whole marathon thing will transform my whole outlook on life, and make me listen to my husband more. Ha!
Day Seven (yesterday): I ran four miles, people! Yes, it was slow, but I have literally never run that far in my life, so I am pretty damn proud of myself.
Like I said, this post is mostly for me, so I will have accountability and so you, Funny Strange readers, will ask me for marathon training updates, and so you will stay tuned to see if, in fact, a Muppet can run a marathon.
Go ahead, I know you want to make funny comments.
