Week 1: Day 1

Technically, this is actually Week 1: Day 2, but the organized part of me can't start my blog on Day 2. So I will just begin with background.

I picked up Dawn Dais's book " The Non-Runner's Marathon Guide for Women". Hilarious! Just what I needed to get ready for the Honolulu marathon that I already signed up for.

Let's talk about my running experience. I can't say that I have EVER enjoyed running. In high school I remember training for some sport over the summer. I got up very early and ran up the block, down some stairs, and around a soccer field with my German Shepard, Spud. When it rained, Spud was sad when I went back to bed. I didn't make the team and so I stopped running. My senior year in college, I ran with my volleyball playing friend three times a week. We ran in some forest, three times a week. Again when it rained, I went back to bed, but having a running partner made me get outside more. I also remember that I always started strong, outpacing my friend, but in the end she always beat me. Then life happened. I got a job. I was married. I gained lots of weight. I got divorced and lost lots of weight. I finally moved 2000 miles away from friends and family and began life in Hawaii. Nice! I have a fabulous job and I am working on having an equally fabulous social life. Hmmm.....that is slow going.

Two years ago I ran my first marathon in 6 hours, 30 min. I really can't believe that I did it! My fellow running partner basically did all the work and I was just along for the ride. Our plan was that we would run 6 miles, walk 1, run 5, walk 1, run 4, walk 1....and you can guess the rest of the pattern. So for training, I don't think we ran further than 13 miles (although that was a huge accomplishment). The actual marathon was ok - we ran about 9 miles before walking for a few minutes. About the 15 mile marker, I learned that it was more painful to start or stop running. At 20 miles (right about when I could turn one way and continue the race or turn the other way and limp home) I hit my wall and I think cried. But I kept going and waddled to the finish line.

This time, I am sans running partner. I am determined to run my second marathon on my own terms and my goal is to beat my first time (God - I don't think I can be any slower).

So Week 1: Day 1 was on July 26th. I ran for 35 minutes.