Fitness... the usual January drivel

I was just challenged by my 26 year old hair stylist to run the Kenosha Half Marathon (it's the cheesiest!) on May 1, 2010. For those not in the know, that equals 13.1 miles. 10 years ago I ran a full marathon in St. George Utah but never wanted to train that hard again - I'm glad I did it, but I didn't have what you would call a "peak experience" or anything. In fact, when I look back now I clearly remember a few details - the 7 mile long uphill stretch in the middle of it, the fact that the air was so dry that my face had salt crystals all over it - sweat never dampened my brow, it simply evaporated, and then the fact that the last hotel room available was up a flight of stairs. That little fact didn't seem like a big deal when I booked it, but when I got back to my room after the race I realized my folly. It probably took me 10 minutes of holding tightly to the hand rail and gingerly taking each step before I made it to my room.

I really used to enjoy running at a more moderate level when I lived in Chicago, had access to the lakefront path, and lived with a young Labrador Retriever that needed a lot of exercise (she's almost 15 now and barely moves). Things have dropped off dramatically for me as well in the past couple of years. Now I live in the burbs and have a small child that severely crimps my style in that I have to keep my eyes peeled and tend toward sleepiness at a very early hour since she wakes me at the butt crack of dawn every day. This led to many desperate feelings and whimpering pleas to my hubby to get me a treadmill so that I could set up my own personal torture chamber in the basement - he relented and I've been plugging along a a fairly regular basis ever since. The hubbster definitely saved my sanity!

Long story long - I'll be 40 in 3 months. It's been 10 years since I did any serious long distance running. I have about an extra 30lbs that I am lugging around with me now. But I think I need a challenge. I'm going to work toward it and see where I am running wise in the next 2 months and meanwhile will post my progress here. Maybe a little (very little) public accountability will be good for me.

Today: 4.024 miles, 51 minutes, 627 on the calories counter

In the past 20 days:

44.5 miles (avg 2.225/day)

615 minutes (30.75 minutes/day)

6420 calories (that's a satisfying number!) (321 cal burn/day)