Marathon Training

I still can't believe that I actually signed up for a marathon. It's something that I told myself I would do "one of these days" and well, one of those days has come.

I am attempting to run the NIKE Women's Half Marathon on Sunday, October 21st. It's a 13.1 mile course that starts at Union Square in downtown, weaves through many scenic parts of da city, and ends at Ocean Beach along the Great Highway.

Joining this marathon is three-fold for me.

First of all, I am so out of shape that it's ridiculously scary. I've never really been one to spend loads of time in the gym nor am I anywhere near being the sporty type. I've come to accept my supposed inherited genes and while I was never truly content with having the body type that I do have, I figured that this was how it would always be. Not anymore.

Secondly, the rollercoaster of emotions (as I've been calling my divorce) has been really intense. It's a known good that when people find themselves in intense or stressful situations, they find comfort in food. That was me. I'm disappointed at how much I let myself go. I told myself time and time again that "life will begin once I sign the papers." Once I signed, I became a new person...and this desire to do so many things, things that I've never really done before, took over. Take hiking, for example. To be quite honest, I was so proud of myself for making it through in one piece! Ya'll may not think the hike was nothing, but it was HUGE for me. That day got it in my head that something like a marathon was not out of reach. I'm trying to be more open to new experiences and running this marathon is definitely up there on the list.

Last, but definitely not least, I'm running for a good cause. Because I joined through Team in Training, I am raising funds that will go towards finding a cure for leukemia, lymphoma, myeloma, and other blood cancers. There have been so many people that I know of who have been affected by various cancers and raising money for research, for awareness, and for a cure is the least that I can do. I just want to do my part...and you can, too!

While I do the running (or jogging, walking, crawling...), you can help by sponsoring me and making a donation. My goal is to raise $2,100. If you're interested, visit my TNT site and you can make a tax deductible donation for any amount...anything will help!

Thanks in advance for helping out for such a worthy cause! And WHEN (not if...) I do cross that finish line, I'll treat you to a yummy and nutritious Jamba Juice smoothie. Sound good???