Some readers of this blog know that I really, really want to be a runner but am, at best, a fast walker.  I have a lot of admiration for long distance runners– much of it because I’ve never been able to really push through that first mile of yucky, unfun, heavy breathing, feeling like a fat fish flopping down the street.  Now that I’m no longer in school and no longer have access to a gym (and an eliptical machine) it’s time to push through.

Last weekend while we were visiting family and friends in Charlottesville, Virginia a friend mentioned a 4 mile race in September.  I figure, 4 miles I can do.  No reason to set myself up for something like a full-on marathon.  So I’m going to start with this 4 miler, with excellent friends, that raises money for cancer research at UVA.  I’ve got two months to prep for a 4 mile race.  I. Can. Do. This…. right?  Today was my first day in “training”– just half a mile, and I’ve already learned a little and know not to do a few rookie mistakes (running downhill gave me a side stitch).

If you’re feeling generous and/or too lazy to run yourself you can sponsor me.  I hear that $1 a mile is fully acceptable.  I’m also considering trying to raise $50 to put my Mom’s name on the “motivational mile”– she did not have brest cancer (she had non-Hodgkins Lymphoma).  We’ll see.  For now, my motivational quote is:

It is not the mountain we conquer but ourselves.
~Edmund Hillary

I’m planning to share my training progress here as a way to keep myself honest and motivated– nothing like the spectre of public humiliation to make me get my lazy arse out of bed to run in 85 degree heat.  Oh, and my laptop is coming home tonight so we’ll get back to fun, photo-filled posts soon!