Jen Can Run!

Hello there, fair readers.  This is my ::mumblemumble::teenth attempt at writing a health blog.  I previously attempted blogging to track my financial health, dietary health, emotional health, health health...And it always ends the same.  I peter out.  Without a goal, or real focus, it's hard to stay motivated.

A little bit about me.  I was not an athlete in high school.  I was not an athlete in college.  At this moment in time, my average 5k running pace is 42 mins 37 sec, or 13.74 min/mi.  I'm slow.  I'm, like, REALLY slow.  I was on the swim team in high school because everyone made the cut, and I was always in the exhibition lane.  I was on a softball team in 9th grade and the only game we won the entire season was due to the other team's forfeit (they didn't have enough players that day).  What I'm trying to say is that athleticism wasn't really my strong suit, and it wasn't really my friends' either.  We were nerds and geeks (but not dorks, never dorks).  We liked poetry, comics, and movies, and only came in contact with the outdoors when we attempted our own version of the Dead Poets Society (minus the Robert Sean Leonard ending).

My one moment of Athletic Greatness was running the Peachtree Road Race in 2008.  I came in at around 1 hr 22 min.  That day I felt a runner's high for the first time.  I was in tears as I crossed the finish line, not from pain or exhaustion, but from a rush of energy I'd never felt before.  It should have been enough to keep me going, but it wasn't.  After that accomplishment, I stopped running.  I stopped working out.  I gained a significant amount of weight, and that runner's high became a distant memory.

I recently found the Couch to 5k Running Program, and tried it.  I only made it through Week 3 before I hurt my leg (playing kickball - such a dangerous game!).  After I rebounded from that, I was hit with an intense upper respiratory infection, as well as a slew of personal emotional lows.  But time heals all things, and I ran my first 5k just two weeks ago.  I wasn't able to finish the program, but I recommend it to anyone who is just beginning to run.

So this blog is my attempt to zone in on one thing.  Running the Atlanta Marathon in March 2013.  Now, I know that's a long way off, so I've broken it down into several smaller goals.

• Run the Virginia Highlands Summerfest 5k in under 40 min - June 4, 2011


• Run a 10k in under 1 hr 20 min - Fall 2011


• Run the Atlanta Half Marathon in 2 hrs 38 min - March 18, 2012


• Maintenance runs/improve time through Fall 2012


• Run the Atlanta Marathon in 4 hrs 30 min - March 2013

I'm sure additional races will be added, and I'm optimistic, but not confident, that the times for these goals can be achieved in the first attempt.  I've made a promise to myself to try.  Follow me on my journey.  I can't promise I'll be funny, or inspirational, or even interesting.  But I promise to be honest.  Whether I accomplish my goals, or just cross the finish line - it'll go here.

I'll post my work out schedule for this week later today, and update the About Me section as soon as I can.