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ratbastid · 07-29-2009, 12:02 PM

This weekend I became a runner.

I've known for some time now that my physical fitness isn't where I want it to be and doesn't serve what I'm in the world to accomplish. Knowing that hasn't really made much difference about it.

On Sunday, a friend who just ran his first half-marathon invited me to run the Charlotte half-marathon with him in December. Quite deliberately, I said "Okay" before giving myself any time to think about it. I knew even the slightest amount of thought would talk me out of it.

Immediately, my view of myself shifted 180 degrees. I've never been an athlete, certainly not a runner. My joke I say is, "I only run when something's chasing me." That's totally how it's been. But now I'm in training to run a half-marathon! And another friend, upon hearing this, invited me to run the Peachtree marathon with her in Atlanta next summer. I'm a runner now! I run!

This week so far (it's Wednesday now) I've been on my first two non-PE-teacher-forced runs of my life, and it's been AMAZING.

My first day, I didn't have my training plan from my friend yet, and it really only calls for .5 miles. I didn't know that. I ran 1.29 miles.

Right at my turn-around point, I stepped wrong on my left foot, staggered, and came down hard on my right elbow and both knees. I stood up, bleeding freely, and asked myself, "Okay. What does a runner do?" A runner, I concluded, keeps running. So I did. I got home an exhausted, bloody mess, completely alive and excited.

Yesterday I ran my .5--and I surprised myself by actually RUNNING most of it. I never would have thought I could run a steady 11 minute pace over a half mile, but I did. And it's all up from there.

And I'm here to tell you, my friends: my body is sore in a whole constellation of new and exciting ways. My quads, shins, and calves are totally fried--probably from pushing too hard my first day in the wrong shoes. And I've got some very nice road-rash from my collision with terra firma on Monday. And I'm WAY EXCITED!!

Okay, so discussionworthyness.... Who else runs? What advice you got for a total noob who's got five months to prep for a half-marathon? I've got the right shoes. Turns out there's a running store in town here--the guy watched my gait and measured my feet and put me in a highly structured pair of kicks that corrects my tendency to pronate. What else do I need?

07-29-2009, 12:02 PM	#1 (permalink)
ratbastid Darth Papa Location: Yonder	Suddenly I'm a Runner This weekend I became a runner. I've known for some time now that my physical fitness isn't where I want it to be and doesn't serve what I'm in the world to accomplish. Knowing that hasn't really made much difference about it. On Sunday, a friend who just ran his first half-marathon invited me to run the Charlotte half-marathon with him in December. Quite deliberately, I said "Okay" before giving myself any time to think about it. I knew even the slightest amount of thought would talk me out of it. Immediately, my view of myself shifted 180 degrees. I've never been an athlete, certainly not a runner. My joke I say is, "I only run when something's chasing me." That's totally how it's been. But now I'm in training to run a half-marathon! And another friend, upon hearing this, invited me to run the Peachtree marathon with her in Atlanta next summer. I'm a runner now! I run! This week so far (it's Wednesday now) I've been on my first two non-PE-teacher-forced runs of my life, and it's been AMAZING. My first day, I didn't have my training plan from my friend yet, and it really only calls for .5 miles. I didn't know that. I ran 1.29 miles. Right at my turn-around point, I stepped wrong on my left foot, staggered, and came down hard on my right elbow and both knees. I stood up, bleeding freely, and asked myself, "Okay. What does a runner do?" A runner, I concluded, keeps running. So I did. I got home an exhausted, bloody mess, completely alive and excited. Yesterday I ran my .5--and I surprised myself by actually RUNNING most of it. I never would have thought I could run a steady 11 minute pace over a half mile, but I did. And it's all up from there. And I'm here to tell you, my friends: my body is sore in a whole constellation of new and exciting ways. My quads, shins, and calves are totally fried--probably from pushing too hard my first day in the wrong shoes. And I've got some very nice road-rash from my collision with terra firma on Monday. And I'm WAY EXCITED!! Okay, so discussionworthyness.... Who else runs? What advice you got for a total noob who's got five months to prep for a half-marathon? I've got the right shoes. Turns out there's a running store in town here--the guy watched my gait and measured my feet and put me in a highly structured pair of kicks that corrects my tendency to pronate. What else do I need?