Start off again

Had to take my 14yo for soccer at 7AM. Normally I would curse everyone around and sullenly take her for the game. Today , like the marathoner I am, I got ready with her and did a 42min/2.7m R/W session in the neighbourhood. Heard a rooster after a long time. And saw some beautiful horses. Nice start to a morning, nice start back into the running business.

Was talking to one of the moms who runs fast and long, and yes, I did just mention that I ran a marathon, how could I pass this oppurtunity to brag. She looked at me with her eyes wide 'you ran a marathon?!?!' So I backed up a bit and said I walked more than I ran and the pace was slow. I dont know how to put this but she seemed rather sad that she cant do that distance because she injured herself some time ago.

That is the one thing I dont understand, the marathon is a doable distance,( OK maybe those are my post marathon endorphins speaking,) but as long as you keep your speed slow. My DH says the same thing , that he wouldnt be able to manage the distance. I think one can do the 26.2 as long as one does it slowly and gradually and humbly . If you go in rushing at 12mph and then hurt yourself, whats the fun.

Yeah, I am ready for the second one, I have already forgotton the agony of the first!!

When I look back on that day, the parts I remember the most are walking alongside the oceon, the waves, the grandson walking with his granny, the husband urging his wife on to take some more steps, the TNT coach helping this first time marathoner, GB and her observations, her incredulity at actually doing this marathon.

Now that we are done, its been a week, I didnt want to sit back and let this feeling of having a goal each year move on, so went over a couple of ideas.
No, not mountain climbing, tho I did go over a couple of sites, its too expensive and time consuming.

Actually the family has barred me from even thinking of another marathon because of the time factor. So I have to limit myself to half-marathons or run faster. To that end, am planning to do a half in May and another in Nov. 2009- the Big Sur Half-marathon in Montrey. Please note it is NOT the Big Sur International marathon which is the most scenic and should be done once atleast in a lifetime but which has such elevation that I think I will cover the distance atleast once, in a car!

Had been thinking of a duathlon, but havent been on a bike since high school, dont have one at present. GB is on a sabbatical and therefore out of the state for atleast a couple of months so we cant decide with the bikes and training yet. I think I will do the basic research about bikes, the training required etc till the end of the year and then think about a bike tour or duathlon later.

Had actually toyed with the idea of a goal to lose 36 pounds in 365 days. But gave that one up, have wasted too many years with that one goal of losing weight, and fell flat on my face. Its a very bad feeling to know that at the end of 365 days I have nothing to show for my efforts- or actually too much to show!! Sometimes I feel I can do 10 marathons in a year and that would still be easier than losing weight. But as I am writing this, the thought comes that if it is so hard, thats a challenge, and so shouldnt I try it. Maybe one last try to get rid of this flab.

I dont know. So things are still a bit fluid. However, I have a rough plan about the running/walking. Nov/Dec 2008 I will try and get upto R5/W1, start training for the MAy half-M in jan 2009, with an aim of getting my time down to 3h instead of 3h21min. And then a repeat training for NOv 2009 half-M starting in june2009.