Down Goes the First Toe

I have a limited history of posting on this blog, and part of the reason for that is that I didn't really have a purpose when I created it. Now, I do. This past week, I decided to commit to running a half-marathon on May 2nd in NC. 11 weeks of training to jump from a 3-mile jog (paced about an 11- or 12-minute mile) to running 13.1 miles.

Why? Well, mostly gut. I saw a posting about the half-marathon and my gut kicked in to tell me it was time to go for it. I keep thinking I'll train to run 5K or 10K, but somehow with those smaller goals in mind, I can't do it. I think the half-marathon will be the perfect recipe to get me out and training. A bit drastic? Yes. Worth it? Heck yeah.

I don't have a great history of running: as a novice runner, I ran 10K races in March 2004 and 2005 (with minimal training for each--about three months both times), and any running I've done since then has been mostly sporadic. Most recently, since the fall, I've gotten into a jogging routine (about 2.75 mile route outside or whatever I can manage on the treadmill).

Today was my first "long" run, and the first time I've run outside since, oh, November. Maybe October. Each week, I'll jump up my mileage on the weekends. Today was four miles, and let me tell you, it was not easy. In fact, I had to walk a few times. I felt like my chest was going to burst, and my knees ached. I was a sweaty, gross, purple-faced mess by the time I finished, and I injured my toe for the first time. (I expect it will continue to happen: it is not unusual for me--I lost the same toenail several times in my 10K trainings... the same one that now hurts.) As I finished the four miles and met back up with the group I had started with, I heaved out a raspy "I think I should aim for a 10K first."

The good news? I have a running partner, my friend Kelly from graduate school. Upon my retraction of intent to run a half-marathon, Kelly exclaimed that I couldn't give up. She was right. As I drove home, a mess of internal temperatures (head steaming from the rain, legs aching from the cold, torso vacillating between overheating and freezing), I realized something: "Duh. It's not like this is going to be easy. You knew that going into it." Well, that and the fact that I've told about 20 people I'm close to that I'm running a half-marathon and posted about it on Facebook.

So I'm committed. Kelly and I went and bought some higher-tech running gear this afternoon, and I'll be back out there again Tuesday (tomorrow is my "stretch and strengthen" day on my training schedule).

Here, in my Natalies blog, I will chronicle my journey from 3-miles to 13.1 miles. I may not run the whole thing come May 2nd. It's not going to be pretty. But darnit, I'm in this thing now. No going back.