Friday, July 25, 2014

Why?

Why did I decide to run a marathon?

In part, because I want to be proud of something.  Admittedly, I've been using running as therapy and since I am not a very good (read: fast, fit, questionable endurance) this is probably not my best idea.  If you want to use something as therapy, as a diversion, it's probably wise to pick something you are good at.

Good idea or bad, it's happening, and it started because I am, for a nice change, getting better at this.  I am not fast and I likely will not be fast in time for this marathon.  I will take walk breaks, but hopefully less than I anticipated when I started training.  I'll be next to a good friend who can push me and will let me push her.

Bottom line is, my confidence is at an all time low.  Not my running confidence, but rather my entire being.  I realize it is a phase and that I feel this way because of a very unfortunate series of occurrences, but I really want to focus on something.

To finish something.

I want - for once - to be good at something. 

I want to sense of accomplishment that will come along with finishing this.

 I make my own quiet spots in the middle of rush-hour.  The view sure ain't something to be sad about.

The silver lining to running as therapy (aside from the lack of actual therapy bills - and also the lack of actual professional opinion, I realize) is that I'm turning negatives into positives, at least on the pavement.  I can be pissed at me, at him, at work, at family, at the whole damn world and it helps me pick up the pace - is motivating me in a way that I didn't think it would.  I thought going through all of this would motivate me to the couch cushion to eat ice cream and clean out my DVR.  Instead it has motivated me to leave work every day and get moving.  Into pants that are two sizes smaller than when this all started.  Into a pace that's about a minute quicker than I thought I was capable of.  Into a few extra miles before a walk break. 

I wish I wasn't looking for silver linings to begin with, but if good can come out of bad then it's at least a little harder to be sad.

The best reason to run a marathon?  Probably not.  But I very badly want the accomplishment and I hope it's the boost I need.

Wednesday, July 23, 2014

When you aren't accountable

I started this blog, a year ago, to keep myself accountable. 

I was running and I wanted to get better.  I wanted to get stronger, eat healthier.

I've done most of those.  I'm a little stronger, a little healthier, I've dropped some weight which I think made me run a little bit faster.

I'm also pissed.  I'm pissed at just about the whole wide world and it's helping my pound some pretty angry miles.  The angrier the miles the quicker I get.

I've changed jobs, had health trouble (over, thank goodness) and I'm about to be officially 'unmarried'.  For lack of a better word.  Or at least any other word I'm willing to use.

This year, instead of the Detroit Free Press International Half-Marathon I am going to run the marathon.  Galloway, of course, so I can walk a bit.  I'm feeling quite good about my training this time around and I am exceptionally motivated to stick to it. 

I am nervous, and still excited.  And now I need to keep myself more accountable than ever.