Week 1: Run 1 (if you can call it that)

Or What the %$&@ was I thinking?
Or "back of the pack".

Or "Oh my god I am going to throw-up in the store".

All of the above easily could have been the title for this blog but I I thought I would keep it short and sweet and to the point.  Tonight marked my first training run for the 1/2 marathon I signed up for, you know the one I have been talking about and of burying my head in the sand when I thought it about for the past 3 months.  I ended up signing up for the program offered at the running room to gear up for the race as I have NEVER completed any kind of running race before and after a talk with Adena one night, ended up registering for this run...why...how...how did I let this happen?  Oh well, my registration was submitted a LONG time ago and they already have my money so no turning back now! (Or so I am trying to tell myself). 

Anyway, besides this being my first training run for this race, this was actually my first real run outside, kinda ever.  Ya okay in booty camp last summer we did 20 minuets of cardio twice a week but this is totally different.  Plus I was in fairly good shape last summer after working out all winter long.
When I first arrived at the store there were already a lot of people there and most of whom looked like runners.  I noticed a few ladies that didn't look like typical runners, they were talking up at the front of the room and just assumed there were there for the running group.  I thought to myself, well okay if they are here no problem I can do this.  No sooner did this thought come to me did they get up and head out for their walk, I guess I should have looked at their t-shirt and noticed "walking room" not "running room".  The instructors went up to the front, did introductions etc and then to get an idea of what types of runners they had in the group they asked everyone who had already completed a 5km race to stand up.  I think there was one other person sitting and that's when I got nervous and figured I was going to be the last to make it back.

We made our way out the back door of the store and people where standing around for a minute and then everyone just sort of took off running.  We went down Cumberland, cut across the bike path (which is paved now and much better than the gravel that use to be there) went up Woodview and east on Rexway to Thornwood then I don't remember the next street that took us back to Woodview to connect back to Fairview back to the store.  It was a whopping 3km and it took me 26:16 and I burned 337 calories.  My max heart rate was 190 (which may have explained why I tasted metal in my mouth after and seriously thought I was going to throw up in the store in front of the 10 people that were still there) and according to my hrm I  was at 94% on average at 179.  I really have to slow that down.

Besides all the negative self talk I was giving to myself along the way I also had a couple more positive thoughts.  I figured there was one benefit to being at the back of the pack and when I say I was at the back of the pack I am by NO way exaggerating...I was last.  I realized that I have no where to go but up so to speak.  I also figured that tonight was a great night to take on this challenge as today is the last day I am 30 so I figured it will be the last day I spend out of shape.  I know magically over night I won't become some svelte model, but I am one run closer to getting back on my workout wagon.   I ended up walking quite a bit, I don't know if it was half though but it really doesn't matter.

I finally made my way back to the store and grabbed a copy of the training schedule.  I found Rick, the assistant store manager who I registered for this course with on the weekend and asked him quite frankly if it took me this amount of time to finish, is it REALLY possible to be able to run 21km in 16 weeks?!?  He was very kind and said that if I wanted to change my goal I should decide by weeks 4-6.  But he did say it is possible to run it, as long as I do the work.  I know doing the work is not the issue I can do the work, I proved that to myself last year. 
I got home and asked my husband "when I said I was signing up for a half marathon, why didn't you wheel me away from the computer?" I held back the tears (what can I say, I'm a "cryer") and I told him I could change to a 10 km program if I felt the 21 wasn't going to be possible.   But really, I think if I wimped out and reduced to the 10km now without really making the effort for the 21 I won't be satisfied with that.  He gave me a pep talk and told me he was proud of me for signing up and taking the course and sometimes that little extra motivation or support can really make the difference, especially when you're at the back of the pack.