Marathons for the rest of us...

So I'm not a Kenyan. Nothing about my frame says 'distance runner' on it. But I have the unfortunate (or fortunate?) circumstance to be the daughter of a career marathoner and wife of a burgeoning distance runner. So not only did I grow up at marathons around the country, but now (incredulously) I am watching Los "just go out for a quick 15-miler." Amazing. When we lived in Jacksonville, FL, he went out just to see how long he could run (ironically, NEVER a question I have wondered about myself). He came back TWO HOURS LATER. I thought he was dead on the side of the road somewhere. Nope, he was just seeing what his body was made of. Yeah, two WEEKS later, he ran his first Half-Marathon. WITHOUT TRAINING. And he got something like a 1:37. Disgustingly good. He is the kind of guy that makes running look pretty.

I am not one of those people. Since I grew up at marathons, I could tell you all about what your stride is supposed to look like. I know who is running efficiently, and who is wasting time with their arms or head wagging around with too much lateral motion.

But I don't put it into practice. I can't run half a mile without panting:) I love to sprint, I was a soccer player after all, but running the same pace for minutes on end just doesn't do it for me. Without a ball in front of me to chase, block or pass, what is the point of running?

But here's my problem. Now that I'm a mom, I don't really want to take the time to go to the gym. Too much of a hassle, and there's not one that I'm in love with close by. Plus the gym day-care kind of creeps me out with germs. Getting out on the road with our BOB stroller and Burly seems a lot more time efficient. And let's be honest, that pregnancy weight-gain (and pre-pregnancy weight gain, who am I kidding?) is not going ANYWHERE by itself. So I have to do something...

So a couple of months ago, I was talking with my friend Kiesha, who has also done a lot of Half-Marathons. And for the first time it dawned on me that someone like me could complete one. Because she isn't one of those front of the pack finishers that I've always seen at races. She taught me that it doesn't matter what your time is, but the goal is to finish and feel proud of yourself. Maybe that seems very elementary, but it was revolutionary for me.

So in November, I printed out an Easy Half-Marathon Training Plan. I taped it up in our kitchen, so I would look at it (or have to try hard to ignore it) every day. I started out just walking/jogging 3 miles, 3 times a week. Gradually I increased the weekend walk by a mile a week. At Thanksgiving, I did my first 10K, which was something I never knew I'd do, but it was so fun. And this past weekend, I did my longest training day, which was a 12-miler. I was so proud (and stinky) afterwards, because I know that if I saw someone that looked like me, I would not guess they could do a Half-Marathon. But I did it! And it was mostly easy. So my big day is coming up in 2.5 weeks, the Austin Half-Marathon, on Valentine's Day. I can't wait. I think it will be so awesome to do something for myself like that. To celebrate health and go out and see what I can do. I won't finish first. In fact, my prayer is just that I don't finish last. But even if I do, it doesn't matter. I am doing it, and I am stoked.