Friends and Running

There have been times here in Oklahoma I have thought I lacked good friends. I have longed to be with my friends that are scattered across the United States but Sunday I realized what a true friend I had here.

I had a goal to run 19 miles on Sunday. Due to surgery and some illness I had not run more than 3 miles in 5 weeks. So this was quite the goal. At work on Saturday I was talking to my friend about my 19 mile conquest and my fears about not finishing it, especially because the marathon is right around the corner. I told her my plans to run the Lake Hefner loop twice and how I feared mentally I wouldn't make myself go around the second time.

Without a second thought she offered to meet me for loop number two. I couldn't believe it. How many people offer to run 9.5 miles with you, especially when they have never run more than 3???

I realized at that point that I do have true friends here in Oklahoma. I have friends that are behind me and hope to help me in whatever I do. As much as I miss my friends that are spread across the country, I have made some great friendships here in Oklahoma.

When I rounded the bend at Lake Hefner to begin loop number 2 I had the biggest smile on my face. There was a friendly face to push me through the second loop holding an ice cold Gatorade.

Training starts today

Training for my first marathon. The Chicago Marathon, a good choice I hear. I am excited, nervous. I have heard that if you can run 26.2 miles you feel as if you can do anything. I do not know this yet, but I know that the decision to add running back to my life as made me happier and much healthier.

I had my first run today, long run that is. It was 8 miles, a very hilly 8 miles. I ran a 1.7 mile loop 5 times. It would be an understatement to say the last loop was not a complete struggle, but I made it. As I ran the 8 miles I considered the poor decisions I made the month of May. Perhaps eating and drinking whatever I wanted and stopping most, if not all exercise was a very poor decision. While I had fun the month of May, it was not worth the struggle of running that lies before me. So back to my pre- May lifestyle... healthy eating, running 4 days, spinning 2 days, and wine only on special occasions (not everyday...)

And so the training begins...