Marathon By 40

Back in November I set out to mentally and physically prepare for the dedication it would take to complete a half-marathon training program. I decided to walk or run/walk at least a mile every day in December just to see if I could get into the habit of getting up early every day for the run.

Well, it was half a success. I certainly completed the streak on paper. Between Dec 1 and Dec 31 I ran/walked a total of 55.68 miles, with at least a mile every day. While I didn’t get up early for each one of them, I did prove to myself that I can find a way to adapt and keep the commitment required to complete a goal or plan.

With that confidence behind me, I’ve started training for the Big D Half Marathon on April 4. After I complete my “long” run today of 4 miles, I will have finished week 2 of the 14 week plan. I’m following the Half-Marathon Run/Walk plan as prescribed in John Bingham’s Marathoning for Mortals.

So far, so good. I’ll post more later when I decide if I’m going to actually commit to running the race.

Wow! What an experience! This morning I completed my first official running event: The Labor Day 5k at White Rock Lake. I finished 9th out of 11 in my weight class. So while I wasn’t the slowest guy out there, I gave him a good race! I was also able to run a new PB (personal best) at 34:39 (a full 3 minutes faster than the practice 5k I ran 3 weeks earlier).

I was really thankful to have Mike (900 above), Keith (superstitious up-side down 13), and Arshaad (943) there running with me. Actually, they were running ahead of me. Mike won his age group (way to go, Mike!), Keith got 3rd in our weight group (I don’t think to qualify to run with us clydesdales anymore), and Arshaad ran 5th in his age group. So, job well done to each! All of them were waiting for me at the last 10th of a mile where the course turned from the road to the grass. Before I saw them, I felt like I was out of gas. But it was very encouraging to hear them cheering, and they helped me kick it up a notch or two for a final sprint. It was great to have them cheering and to share their company after the race. Congratulations on your great runs, guys.

Thank you also everyone who encouraged me with comments and emails. Making the goals public was another driving force to make sure I pushed through. Your support means a lot.

So, I’m now hooked. I’ve realized that if I have a goal and a plan, it’s possible to make significant progress. The race was a lot of fun, but this 5k is just the first step. There are many miles to go before my first marathon. I’m taking time this week to scour race calendars on the net and select my next event.

Let’s take a break from running to recover.

Links:

• My photos on Flickr
• Race results at ThrustonRacing.com
• “Official” photos at CelebratedImages.com