A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step.
Yes, the rumors are true. I am training for a marathon. Crazy? Dedicated? I like to think I’m a little of both. LOL
I had written a long introspective post, and my darn laptop ate it. Argh. I had a couple of points I really wanted to make, though.
I did not get to this point overnight, and I want to stress to anyone who reads this that fitness is an achievable goal, no matter who you are. Start with walking. Almost everyone can walk, and even a few minutes a few times a week is a great way to start. Find an activity that you enjoy, and do that…or do something you can tolerate while you simultaneously do something you like. I’m not a huge fan of step aerobics, but I love having the opportunity to watch my favorite TV shows on DVR/DVD while I do it. No time? I don’t accept that excuse anymore. It is worth it to me to get up at 5:30, 3 days a week, to work out. I love the way I feel, both emotionally and physically, when I work out consistently. It is amazing how simple the formula is (eat less, exercise more), and yet how hard it is to put into practice…but it IS worth it.
I can’t overpraise the Couch to 5K program that auror turned me on to. I’m in the middle of it right now, and even though I run/walk just under a 14:00 mile I *am* running. I never thought I would be a runner, but the program starts with mostly walking and a little running, progressing over 9 weeks to all running (3 miles/5K). A special thank you goes to asa101 for assembling my treadmill so that I can run inside during inclement weather.
So how did I make the leap from C25K to a marathon? Well. I knew I wanted a fitness regimen that would make me keep working out now that I’m at my goal weight. After removing 44 lbs I didn’t want the scale to start creeping up too far again. Running seemed like a good way to stay in shape, and having a goal to work towards was important to me. It occurred to me that 40 is just around the corner, and I’d love to have a big race under my belt before then. I heard about the WDW Marathon, and I thought about signing up for the ½ marathon (13.1 miles) a little too long…it hit max capacity soon after I looked at the website. All that was left was the marathon. I thought, 10 ½ months...why not? So I took the plunge and signed up. I mean, how cool is it to run a marathon in the “happiest place on earth ™”??? The marathon starts in Epcot by the big sphere, goes through the Magic Kingdom (through the castle), then the Animal Kingdom, Disney/MGM, and ends back at Epcot.
So, I’m going to finish the C25K and continue building my base with a 30-week marathon training program. I intend to not only finish the marathon, but finish it without being useless for the rest of the week we’re at Disney. However, I certainly think a massage and a day of lounging by the pool is the order of the day after the race. LOL
My walk/run race schedule is below:
4/19: Lupus 5K Walk (to donate, please go to https://www.kintera.org/faf/donorReg/donorPledge.asp?ievent=251814&lis=1&kntae251814=85FB87A2AB3A4DB786FB16CE09E45FEF&supId=207068372)
5/17: Germantown 2-miler
6/1: Capital Crescent 5K run
10/5: Army 10-miler
1/11: Walt Disney World Marathon
I had written a long introspective post, and my darn laptop ate it. Argh. I had a couple of points I really wanted to make, though.
I did not get to this point overnight, and I want to stress to anyone who reads this that fitness is an achievable goal, no matter who you are. Start with walking. Almost everyone can walk, and even a few minutes a few times a week is a great way to start. Find an activity that you enjoy, and do that…or do something you can tolerate while you simultaneously do something you like. I’m not a huge fan of step aerobics, but I love having the opportunity to watch my favorite TV shows on DVR/DVD while I do it. No time? I don’t accept that excuse anymore. It is worth it to me to get up at 5:30, 3 days a week, to work out. I love the way I feel, both emotionally and physically, when I work out consistently. It is amazing how simple the formula is (eat less, exercise more), and yet how hard it is to put into practice…but it IS worth it.
I can’t overpraise the Couch to 5K program that auror turned me on to. I’m in the middle of it right now, and even though I run/walk just under a 14:00 mile I *am* running. I never thought I would be a runner, but the program starts with mostly walking and a little running, progressing over 9 weeks to all running (3 miles/5K). A special thank you goes to asa101 for assembling my treadmill so that I can run inside during inclement weather.
So how did I make the leap from C25K to a marathon? Well. I knew I wanted a fitness regimen that would make me keep working out now that I’m at my goal weight. After removing 44 lbs I didn’t want the scale to start creeping up too far again. Running seemed like a good way to stay in shape, and having a goal to work towards was important to me. It occurred to me that 40 is just around the corner, and I’d love to have a big race under my belt before then. I heard about the WDW Marathon, and I thought about signing up for the ½ marathon (13.1 miles) a little too long…it hit max capacity soon after I looked at the website. All that was left was the marathon. I thought, 10 ½ months...why not? So I took the plunge and signed up. I mean, how cool is it to run a marathon in the “happiest place on earth ™”??? The marathon starts in Epcot by the big sphere, goes through the Magic Kingdom (through the castle), then the Animal Kingdom, Disney/MGM, and ends back at Epcot.
So, I’m going to finish the C25K and continue building my base with a 30-week marathon training program. I intend to not only finish the marathon, but finish it without being useless for the rest of the week we’re at Disney. However, I certainly think a massage and a day of lounging by the pool is the order of the day after the race. LOL
My walk/run race schedule is below:
4/19: Lupus 5K Walk (to donate, please go to https://www.kintera.org/faf/donorReg/donorPledge.asp?ievent=251814&lis=1&kntae251814=85FB87A2AB3A4DB786FB16CE09E45FEF&supId=207068372)
5/17: Germantown 2-miler
6/1: Capital Crescent 5K run
10/5: Army 10-miler
1/11: Walt Disney World Marathon