"And I Ran, I Ran So Far Away..."

"...I just ran; I ran all night and day; I couldn't get away..." Thanks to A Flock of Seagulls and my penchant for 80s new wave, these lyrics were my mantra on the treadmill this morning. And they likely will be for the next five months. You see, my ROCpoppa and I have decided - dun dun dum - to train for a half-marathon.

How did this happen to a couple of non-runners?

After some test results revealed high cholesterol and triglyceride levels, my husband started running 20 minutes on most days. Once the endorphins kicked in, 20 minutes wasn't enough. The day before Easter, he went out for a run and came back after completing six miles...on a whim. This past Sunday, he finished  10 miles. Yes, ten.

I was almost a runner about twenty years ago. In junior high I joined cross-country and track. Then played lacrosse and field hockey in high school, which required copious amounts of running and sprints. During college, I went through running phases a few times a semester. Flash forward by more than a decade and you can find me at the Y several times a week: BodyCombat on Mondays, Step Aerobics on Wednesdays, and running on the treadmill on Fridays. I have endurance, but I'm not quite ready to run even ten miles just yet.

We found a ten-week training program that we'll start in mid-July. Until then, we are each trying to run two to four miles per session, four times per week. My husband can run during his lunch hour or after work; I have a bit more of a challenge. My running needs to happen while the kids are at Child Watch at the Y - that's a two hour time limit per day, including shower time.  I'm not ready to give up my classes just yet, so today I went to step class for 50 minutes (I skipped crunches and push-ups at the end), then ran 2 miles in about 23 minutes on the tread mill (not my finest), showered and dressed all in under two hours. And I wanted to throw up at the end.

But it feels like a new beginning. And it will be amazing to cross that finish line in a few months. So we'll keep running when we can, trying to accumulate eight to 12 miles per week. Our final goal - 13.1 miles - will be accomplished on Sunday, September 23 at the Rochester Marathon.

To my fellow runners and non-runners who run, keep up the great work. I hope to see you pounding the pavement or cheering in the crowd in the fall.

As always, thanks for reading. If you have a marathon story or advice, please Post a Comment. Thanks!