Here I Go!

I have committed to running the Southern Indiana Classic Half Marathon next April 15!  A half marathon is 13.1 miles, which is a measly 7 miles longer than I've ever run in my entire life.  BUT I have half a year to train, and a determination to make it happen despite all of the demands on my time, and my age. 

I was one of those kids who was picked almost last when choosing teams during gym class, and I usually earned myself a D grade when running the mile.  There was very little running involved - as soon as I started jogging I felt like I couldn't breathe.  I was convinced I just wasn't athletic until I agreed on a whim to train for a 60-mile breast cancer walk with a friend.  It was a great experience and I learned that with a plan and a goal, I can really surprise myself.  Next step was the Couch Potato to 5K program, and 12 weeks later I was able to run 3 miles, a huge accomplishment for me.

Since then I've been busy moving cross country and being a new mom.  Our son is 2 now, and all the sudden I'm 30.  A lot of people talk about how it's all downhill from here physically, and I've found that in some ways they're right.  I get dizzy easier and I'm starting to notice lines around my eyes.  But I'm not going to plop down on the couch and give up.  We have enough people like that around here, living in the fattest city in the US. 

On the flip side, I have to acknowledge my limitations and learn to work with them.  A typical half-marathon training schedule, even for first-timers, is 12 weeks.  Yeah right!!  I spread the schedule out over twice that amount of time so I can increase my mileage more gradually.  It's also going to be tough to carve out time to train.  I work full-time and my husband works an erratic schedule, so I'm going to have to take it week by week, scheduling in my training time. 

It won't be easy, but having to work a little harder will make it more rewarding when I cross the finish line.  I'm planning to keep track of my progress on this blog, which I'm sure will be rife with entertaining stories about the challenges of managing my family life, work, and training.  (Just to give you a sample of recent life at the Fortneys, our son flushed a mega block down the toilet a week ago, and just a few days ago he locked himself in a car and we had to call the fire department to get him out.) 

Training tips (and parenting tips, which we obviously need) are definitely welcome!