Another wild idea

Friday: 2.01 miles
Saturday: 4.0 miles
Sunday: 2.51 miles
Monday: 2.51 miles

Oh heyy, looks like I can almost call myself a runner now!

Which is a good thing because I'm signed up for half marathon challenge number two: The Wild Half.
What could be more fun than running 13,1 miles around my home (beach) town?

(Besides not running 13,1 miles?)

Was Sunday Real?

Talk about a bizarre weekend. I was all ready to post this yesterday, but I still wasn't really sure that Sunday happened.

Sunday began bright and early- 6 a.m. (Saturday also started bright and early, because, apparently, a 5 mile jog the day before a half marathon is totally normal). In Long Branch by 7:15; waiting at the starting line at 8:15. Oh, crap. Guess it's really going to happen. Starting time- 8:30- rolled around, and, with the help of Bruce Springsteen's Born to Run, I was off.

And, two hours, fifty-seven minutes and twenty nine seconds later, I crossed that line again- and in one piece!

For almost three hours, I ran and walked (I learned that my walking pace is fast than the jog of a lot of people, sweeet!) through Monmouth Beach, Oceanport and Long Branch. Well, I booked it through a lot of Long Branch. Still unsure why the course took us through the hood. "Dayyyum, guuuurl, you be doooin' fiiine" is pretty motivational, though.

But I survived and it was a great experience. I can officially not consider myself a fat ass anymore!

(Finish line in sight!!! And look at that form...)

And onto other events that make Sunday unbelievable ...

I came back to a clean apartment! While I was running, Boyfriend cleaned my apartment! AND made dinner! Looks like I'll be running a half marathon every weekend now.

(Then I made brownies- hell, I deserved it!- and Boyfriend got crumbs everywhere. I woke up next to crumbs today. I don't even know. Oh well, the apartment was clean at one point. My fault for making junk food.)

While fighting over what to watch on TV, (I only get a few Phillies games aired up here and, no, I don't care that it's only May!) I was just about to give up and go to bed (I hate losing a battle but 13.1 miles were starting to make me sleepy..), but I had waited about ten minutes too long and Nerdy Political Loud and Proud Republican Boyfriend came out to play.

Breaking news: President Obama to make a statement at 10:30 p.m. on a Sunday night ... something BIG is up.

Fox News was turned on faster than I have ever seen it before. Missed the "U-S-A" chants at the Phillies' game- ah, finally a proud moment in Philly- and, due to exhaustion and few delays, President Obama's speech because, well, anything after 10 p.m. is rough and a little fuzzy after 13 miles (and wine).

Needless to say, I woke up Monday morning very, very confused. I had ran 13.1 miles, my apartment was clean sans brownie crumbs, dishes from dinner and wine glasses, and Osama bin Laden was dead.

Doomsday Is Upon Us..

So this is it: by this time tomorrow, I will have completed my first half marathon.

I actually have a better shot at surviving than I thought when I signed up two months ago. I should survive, and I should even be running most of it.

My worries have even changes from "I hope I don't pass out three miles in" to "I hope it's cool enough all morning so I can keep my jacket on so I don't get tan lines."

Yup, my priorities are still in tact.

Oh the little things..

My weekend can be condensed to two oh-so-exciting events:

1. I finally found my first sand dollar!

2. I completed 13 miles on Sunday morning. Yes, that is not a typo. 13 miles, as in just about a half-marathon, in three hours. Take that, lazy fat-ass days.

I've never ran in the cold before, but ...

Tomorrow is my training day with Stu.

Three hours of "movement."

Not three hours of running, "just" three hours of "movement."

When I signed up for the half-marathon, I signed up with a few co-workers and we got a trainer. I get customized workouts set my heart rate. Yup, I now own a sweet heart rate monitor watch. Sounding serious?

(Then I went out and bough $100 sneakers. Then I decided that I needed to look good while I was running, so I went out and got new running capris, tank tops and zip ups. This part of it was obviously the most fun.)

For the past month, I have spent at least an hour a day "moving" at the gym or outside. And ya know what? It's been quite enjoyable.

I'm not too sure how I feel about tomorrow, though. I'm a little intimidated, but excited to see how my training has paid off.

I think I would be more excited about it if it were going to be warmer. I've made it a rule for myself that I only run outside if it's above 50 degrees.

Tomorrow's high? 38. At 9 a.m., the time we're meeting? 30 degrees.

This is not looking like fun.

Apparently I've Lost My Mind.

I just signed up for the Long Branch Half Marathon.

Can I run more than two miles? Barely. Did I quit soccer because I hated running? Absolutely.

But I always get so inspired after a meeting at work, and the CEO of the company I work for actually inspired me to work with him, a trainer and other co-workers to complete a half marathon. Between that, needing a hobby and wanting to lose a few more pounds, signing up for this training and the half marathon seemed like the perfectly logical explanation.

I have nine weeks to be able to do 13.1 miles.

It's on.