D-day tomorrow

So tommorow is Nov 1st, first day of marathon preparation.
Things I have found out-
One has to be running atleast for a year-20 miles a week, before thinking about a marathon,my snail paced 6-8 miles of walking a week, if that, does not count.Then it takes atleast 3o weeks to train to finish a marathon-just finish-which is what we want to do. If we do the SFmarathon in Aug 2008,that gives us 9 months i.e 36 weeks, so we should be OK if we are consistent, persistent and smart about the training.
One will have to be careful about diet and nutrition, load up on the carbs, so all the halloween candy I consumed today will surely help me run longer and faster. Jokes apart, the marathon training might not help me lose much of the extra 30 pounds I carry since my body will need the extra nutrition.
There are as many different marathon training plans as steps in 26.2 miles-approx 52,000. So I will have to use my brains while sifting through the information, and I thought this was all about brawn.The best plan I have found so far is the Jeff Galloway plan of 30 weeks which recommends 30 min of running 3 times a week and one long run on the weekend. Also he has different run/walk ratios depending on the pace you can keep.I am a bit skeptical because on paper it seems too easy.
NB

Don't want to do this - wanna be lazyyyyy

It's so so so difficult to take the first step. I just want to be lazy, be on my couch and watch tv allllll day long. I don't want to do this. I don't want to go for a walk let alone run a marathon. Oh, I am fine writing this blog as I can do this while lying on my couch and eating and watching tv. It's getting cold too. My sister asked me to think about the thrill of running across the San Francisco bridge. Why would anybody want to do that? or in fact run a marathon or for that matter, run when one is feeling perfectly well and happy cozy in her home having hot chocolate (I dont like hot chcocolate, I like hot coffeeeeee!)? Oh, I don't want to do this. With just 1 day to go :(((((((( - I have to start on Nov 1st, I have to mentally prepare myself. I had told myself I would start with small walks earlier than 1st (my sister is writing the blog too, so it was she who went on that little walk yesterday - I think she went today too), but I am just not up to it. Also, I have the excuse that I work, I mean I go to work...uhhh ok, I mean I go to work just like other people but I get tired by the end of the day, you know, like too tired to walk :(........ok, enough of excuses, I am going to do it.....or 20 years later when I really am old and tired, I'll regret not taking this first step.......oh, how I hate, hate, hate these rational thoughts!!!

Day of insecurities, woke up and felt cold in the chest, whole body aching, first thought 'is this the flu?'And then-it is to be expected because had made a decision to start a new habit and this is the first hurdle'.
Went for another short walk in the warm sun while the dtr played soccer.Ate a hot bowl of rice and beans and now am ready to face anything.
Got 'The complete book of running' published by Runners World and read the introduction , hopefully will move too instead of just reading the book.
NB

Just do it

I went for a walk today,slow paced, including one low hill, tried to run ,cldnt manage more than 90 steps at a time-yes I counted and 90 steps make a minute.Realised I need new shoes, the ones I have are made for walking.
Surfed the various websites, liked http://www.marathontrainingandnutrition.com/ by Billy Milton, esp. the motivational part-the most difficult thing and the most crucial is to make the start. No , in my case, I will make the start with a lot of fanfare but then lose steam around week 3-4 of the program.
Another site-www.Runnersworld.com has a feature-askcoachjenny and she has some good tips for a begining runner,-start slowly, mix walking and running, do the 'talk-test' to see if you are running too fast,have a goal, run with a buddy.
Its just like trying to lose weight-we know how to do it, we all have the knowledge, the problem is to use that knowledge and information.There is so much information on health and fitness,the world wide web has actually made it so accessible, but the doing is still in our hands and that is the most difficult thing. As nike says'Just do it!'
NB

Wrong date

The SF marathon is August 2008.
That is the 1st goal, and if not will look for another one as backup.
Always have a backup plan.

World Run Day is on Nov 11 2007.
http://www.runday.com/.
We might take part in the 1 mile run-actually might walk most of it.

Why??

Why? because its time, the time is right.It just is(thats what I am hoping)
What?The San Francisco Marathon
When?October 2008
Where?in San francisco CA
How?5k,10k,half marathon,Runner'sWorld, coolrunning.com,inspiration from other bloggers,running sites etc. and ofcourse we will be running.
Who?-NB and GB-the 2 bored inactive sisters.
There is the 7th question I should be asking , I have 4gotten what it was,maybe next time.

Pre-preparation

The idea (as of today :)), is to do all the groundwork and start the preparation of the Marathon (which marathon?-that again comes in the pre-preparation part ;)) from November 1st 2007. My sister was at my apartment with this idea and we decided to take the first step and create a blog. She is an avid blog/health magazine reader and will definitely do all the research required to run a marathon - whether she implements it or not is a different question ;).