Being bold - and maybe crazy - on my 41st birthday!

Today is my 41st birthday!  Yay!

And a little bit of Boo! because - well (sigh) 41. 

Last year before my 40th birthday, I made a list of 40 things I wished to accomplish in the coming year.  I've been mildly successful with that list, and you can read about it here.  It really was a fun approach to goal-setting, and I recommend it to anyone looking to stay motivated and accountable.

This year, I am trying something a little bit different.  You might remember that my one little word for 2013 is BOLD.  So I am taking the approach of having one big BOLD goal, and just going for it.

I am scared out of my mind and I might be a little crazy, but this morning,  I registered for the 2013 Nationwide Children's Hospital Columbus Marathon.

On October 20, 2013,  this former couch potato will run her first marathon. That's right - the whole freakin' 26.2 mile enchilada!

Registering online went something like this:  ohgodohgodohgod, whatamidoing, ohgodohgod, shitshitshit, ohgod..........hold breathe for way too long...........ohgodwhatdidijustdo.

And then I texted my husband:

Exhaleeeeeeeeeeeeeeee

Only .5% of the population has ever run a marathon.   It's pretty cool to think of doing something so rare, but there's a reason it's rare.  It's a big commitment and it's going to be scary and hard.

For the next few months, I'm in serious, dedicated weight loss mode.  I need to get some extra pounds off before training really picks up. My exercise plan for the next 6 weeks is to run 2/3 times per week (want to hit 10 miles per week) plus jazzercise 2/3 times per week.   My food plan is:  keep it "real", measure my portions, and stop with the darn carbs/dairy/nuts as snacks!  That just can't happen any more. 

Starting March 19, I will begin training for the Cleveland Rite Aid Half-Marathon which is on May 19.

After the half, I plan to take it easy for several weeks and just run for fun, probably back down to the 10 mile per week mark.  We're going on a beach vacation from June 8-15.  I know I'm really a runner now because one of the things I'm most looking forward to on vacation is early morning runs on the beach :-)

Last summer @ Myrtle Beach. Running on the beach at sunrise is right up there with the most wonderful things in life.

On June 16,  I begin marathon training.  Gulp.


I will follow Hal Higdon's Novice 1 Marathon Training Plan.  It's an 18 week plan and can be found here:
My Marathon Training Plan

I am scared.

I've said that already, right?
Maybe three times?

The biggest fears/concerns that I need to push through:

1.  This is a big time committment, and will take a lot of time away from my family.  This is really hard for me and is likely to be the biggest obstacle. G starts high school this fall, and S starts middle school.    Am I being selfish to take on this big thing at the same time when they are also going through big transitions? At the heaviest point of training, I will be running 40 miles per week.   That's 8 hours.  Where do I find an extra 8 hours?

2.  I'm likely to be training alone.  A 20 mile training run by myself?   How on earth do you push through that kind of wall on your own?  I guess I'm going to find out!

3. What if I get hurt?   What if I push too hard/too far and  injure myself? I can't even think about what it would be like not being able to run.  HUGE fear.  Running means so much to me.

4.  What if I fail?  It happens all the time during a marathon, even to experienced runners.  I've just written publicly that I plan to do this. What if I train for months, have my family and friends in Columbus cheering for me, and I fail spectacularly before their eyes? Will my first marathon end with a "DNF" (did not finish) next to my name? 

This is going to be an epic challenge.  I'm probably nuts for considering this at 41 years old, and 40 pounds overweight.

But it also feels like high time for me to leap and build my wings on the way down.

I can build my wings on the way down, right?  I guess I'm going to find out. 

Exhaleeeeeeeeeeee.

 I'm doing this.
So it shall be written -  so it shall be done!
(Whenever I plan to do something big I talk like Yul Brenner in "The Ten Commandments" and say that line)

Here's to 41!  Here's to living boldy! Happy Birthday to me! :-)