Backstory

I ran my first 5K in the summer of 2014. I trained for almost two months leading up to the race. I remember I felt so good about myself when I was training for the 5K. I thought I was actually becoming a runner, and I made my goal of running a marathon someday. My original game plan was to run a 5K that summer, and then a 10K the year after, followed by a half marathon the next year, and finally a marathon the year after that. Now, judging by that timeline, I should’ve run my first marathon almost two years ago.

But I didn’t.

I have participated in two more 5K’s though! You see, when I was training for the 10K the following summer, running didn’t come as easily as it had the year before.  I was doing pretty well keeping up with a training plan I had found online, and I had even managed to make it up to the week where I would have to do a four mile “long run.” I completed the four miles, but I felt terrible afterwards. I didn’t feel sick, I just didn’t feel good about myself. I stopped my training plan shortly after that.

I still had this goal that I wanted to run a half marathon, and eventually a marathon. So, in 2016 I decided I would skip over the 10K (do those races even exist?) and go straight for the half. However, I didn’t meet that goal in 2016… or 2017…or 2018, and now I’m just tired of putting it off. Therefore, I am determined to meet this goal — 13.1 in 2019 — this year.

The Vision

As you now know, I’ve been wanting to run a half marathon for the past three years. But what you might not have known is I’ve also been wanting to start a blog since way before then. So, I thought I would combine these goals by starting a blog about my experience training for my first half marathon.

I’m hoping this blog with help motivate me to stick with my training when it starts to get tough — and if it helps motivate you to work towards one of your goals, well, that’ll just be icing on the cake.

I am nervous about this process, though.  I’m worried that I won’t finish my training. I have a lot going on in my life right now with finishing up my Bachelor’s degree and starting optometry school in the fall. I’ve also given up so many times in the past, that I know it’s going to be difficult for me to stick with the training now.

However, I am so excited to start getting more active and to finally complete this goal. I feel more determined than ever before that I will run a half marathon this year. And, side note, my mom has also started getting more active by walking a few miles every morning. I’m so proud of her, however, she’s consistently surpassing me on weekly steps (by almost 70,000 steps!) according to the weekly progress report from Fitbit … so, I feel like I need to step up my game (get it).

Another motivator for wanting to achieve this goal this year came from my 84 year old mentor. As a project for one of my classes, I got to meet with him for five weeks to learn about his life, and how it had changed as he has gotten older. One of the weeks we talked about health and he told me he rides a stationary bike every day for thirty minutes. On top of that, he and his wife also take a yoga class together. I told him I basically don’t ever exercise and he told me I wasn’t “a very good role model.”

So, I that’s how I decided it was time to start getting more active, stop putting off my goals, and take a running start towards accomplishing them.

Week 1:  
Miles run this week: 0
Miles run total: 0
Overall mood: Determined and motivated