Note: This blog was written on or around Feb. 10. I'm just now getting around to posting it
It's cold. Not cold like upstate NY (where I grew up), Boston (where I went to grad school and spent most of my 20s) or Wisconsin (where I lived or two years working at a paper), but it's still freaking cold. I've got 3 tech t-shirts and a long sleeve tech t-shirt along with a fleece vest.
I'm headed north on N 18th Ave in Pensacola, my home for the past year. It's night time, because I'd rather run when its dark and no one can see the 40 pounds of heft I've put on over the last three years bouncing up and down with every step
It's early in the run so my body is still trying to find itself. I'm a little bit out of breath and the outside of my ankles are killing me. I know myself well enough to know this will all correct itself if I just give it 10 to 15 minutes. But for now I'm in what you might consider in some discomfort.
I'm heading up the slope of the street. It's not as hilly as Endwell, NY, where I grew up and where migrating glaciers from ages past left behind dirt, rocks and silt, creating the upstate NY hills and valleys that look so good during the autumn leaf color changes.
But it's enough of an incline that it's a pain in the butt. I look down at Bella, my 7 and a half year old Australian Cattle Dog mix, and she's doing just find. Her big ears are up at attention and she trots comfortably, looking side to side taking in the road ahead of us, probably on the look out for any world-ending threats like other people on foot peaceably walking their dogs.
I'm in the run-walk portion of my training program, so I'm just praying and hoping that if Bella is going to pee or poop, she has the good sense to wait until I'm on the walk portion of the cycle.
Before we start running, I take her on a little walk, hoping she'll expel all the poop inside of her so as to not screw up my rhythm in the run, because stopping to have to pick up her poop always screws me up, probably more psychologically than anything.
This is the second of a three week run-walk program I downloaded from RunnersWorld.com. After the 3rd week, i'll move on to the 8 week couch to 5k training program. After that is a 30 week program to get me to a fall marathon in November. Originally the plan was going to be a novice marathon training program from HalHigdon.com, but my friend Scotty, who is a professional marathon runner of all things, said he'll coach me when that point comes. Hopefully he'll be less of a bastard than when he was my running coach in Austin.
(Side note: Runners World and Hal Higdon and their definitions of "couch" and "novice" can go to hell, for all I care.)
Anywho, I'm about 6 weeks away from turning 40. Since I didn't get my lazy arse in gear in time to accomplish anything before the day, I've decided to make damn sure I'll have accomplished something before my 40th year is out.
So this blog is to chronicle, for those of you with really nothing better to do, my path to that race. Hopefully along the way I'll shed a few pounds.
My goal for the first month is just to develop the running habit. I don't care if I lose weight during this period, I just want to be consistent and make darn sure that I've forced a routine where I"m running 3 to 4 times a week. Because the ultimate plan for this whole freaking project is to get it so that I'm exercising consistently for the rest of my life. And also getting rid of my gut and man boobs. Operation No More Dad Bod is on!
