a runner/poseur is born

So, I'm starting this blog as an outlet for the sorts of inane musings that even my facebook friends would be apt to ignore. Specifically, the thoughts that I have while running and about running as I train for a half-marathon. I am only three weeks into a training program and even my usually loving husband is tired of hearing about how amazing it is that I can run six miles straight! I understand his ambivalence - I'm not even sure yet how much I really care about it.

I'm 31, one semester into PhD study, 4 years into a fixer-upper, with a full time job that involves lots of travel, and with no real reason to take on something like a half-marathon. (I love the 'half' part - makes me feel like an even bigger poseur). Even though I am in pretty fair shape, I've never been a runner (unless you count intervals) and until three weeks ago, had never run more than a mile without slowing to a walk - or more likely doubling over and gasping for breath. I didn't even really like running until I discovered a few years ago that I could run on a treadmill without too much effort, if I had the right trash tv to watch. After that, I had become a believer in the runner's high, though I rarely felt motivated to achieve it.

The whole half-marathon thing came about as the result of what I like to refer to as my 'other' drinking problem: a tendency to be slightly tipsy around sober people (such as my parents) when they make ridiculous announcements/proposals/dares to which I generally respond, "Yesirree! I'll do that." This time it was over Thanksgiving dinner. My mom (50+, breast cancer survivor, non-runner) announced that she was beginning to train for a half-marathon 4 months out. And I really cannot even blame her a little bit here, because she did not follow this with anything resembling an invitation for others to join her. No "Who's with me?". No taunting about how difficult or noble the cause. Just, "this is what I am doing". And, I very easily could have just done what the rest of my family did - be thankful that she is healthy enough to take on such a challenge and offer encouragement and support. But, under the cheery influence of a couple glasses of pinot noir, I raised my hand (as though someone had asked a question) and exclaimed that I would join her.

So there it is. I got on the extremely dusty treadmill that weekend and ran 3 miles straight. I think part of me was hoping that I wouldn't be able to go very far and would be able to give the idea up. But no. That 3 miles was enough encouragement. Now I'm hooked. I did my research (my PhD program is in Ed Research and Policy, so it's kinda my thing), bought new shoes, a new sports bra, the latest issue of Runner's World and created a training schedule. Now, three weeks in, I am up to 6 miles and feeling like I will actually be able to do it. I talked my mom into signing up for a couple of 5Ks with me in Jan and Feb - partly because neither of us have never run 'in public' and partly to gauge where each of us are at that point. My mom, ever ambitious, recently said, "You know, after we do that half-marathon, we should go for a full in the Fall." She hadn't even started running yet when she said this. I responded, "Let's just see how we do on this one and then we'll talk."

The Tobacco Road half-marathon is Sunday, March 20.