From that day on...I was runnin'.

Ok, so I've decided I don't really have a focus of anything to blog about. I'm not into using my blog as a journal of my life, that's what my journal is for, and I'm not trying to share all that with anyone and everyone. So far, I've just been really random. I really like blogs where there is a particular focus, someone trying to accomplish something and documenting it along the way. I'm sure there are tons or real "runners' blogs," and I'm not a real runner, at least not yet, but here goes. I'm going to blog about my attempt at running a half marathon.

And I'll still throw in some random movie reviews or other life stories along the way, but I'm going to document this interesting twist in my life.

So here's my back story. I HATE running. Always have. Have done it occasionally throughout my life for either exercise or weight loss, but never more than 2 miles, and never really on my own, always because someone else was trying to get me to do it.

But I'm surrounded in life by people that love to run, my husband, my best friend, other friends. Ugh. They've all done small races, 5ks, 10ks, some of them have even done half-marathons & full marathons. But I've no desire, really none. I don't even want to go for a jog.

Don't get me wrong I love to exercise. I love the painful stuff, weights, squats. I'll do 100 squats til I can't walk for a week, and love "the burn." But get me running 1/4 of a mile, and the cramp in my side will shut me down. I feel like I can't get enough oxygen in, my breaths are like last attempts to suck in air in a trapped coffin. Ok, so I exaggerate, but this has been the depth of my hatred for running.

So for several months now, my crew has been talking about running the half-marathon in November.....and how I'm going to do it with them. Whatev. I ignored, and ignored. No desire, I told them, just not interested. And then one day...out of the blue....I said Ok, let's do it. What? What did you just say (to myself)? Are you out of your mind (also to myself)? I just agreed.

I think there are several reasons for this. I know I can do it, I know I can do anything that I decide to do and put my mind to, and I can do anything I train for. I know this already about myself, but I think I was tired of other people thinking I didn't know it. Stop telling me "you can do it", I know I can, I have no personal doubts about my capabilities. So I think I just decided to finally do it, really to get them all off my back. Good motivation, right.

Also, I think I want to see what the hype is all about, then be done with it, and not have to do it again. Everyone says, oh no, you'll be addicted when you're done. I actually don't think that is going to happen to me, but we'll see. I want to go ahead and do it, it's a whopping 5 month commitment out of my life, and then move on. And of course, I'm really hoping the bikini-body comes as the bonus result...but trust me, it's all psychological for me.

So, we're doing it...ups, downs, highs & lows, we're doing it. And I'm going to keep you posted on the process...all 2 of you who will keep reading my blog after this entry.

(Note: now that you've read this, we actually started running two weeks ago. I've been out 5 times since deciding to start, but I didn't want to overbore you the first time, so I'll highlight some of those trials in the next blog or two and get it all caught up)