Blogging again, on running?

Yes, I am going to give this blogging thing another shot. This time I have a somewhat real purpose, at least for me. It will be mostly about my running. I actually wish that I started this blog while I was going through my attempt at weight loss, which was partially made possible because I decided on waling as a form of exercise. This walking then turned into jogging, which after a few 5Ks and a half marathon I cannot deny that it is actually now running.

OK, since this the first entry I can put in a little background on my running. On November 2, 2009 I decided to join the online version of Weightwatchers. On that morning I weighed myself at 195 pounds!! Yeah, being 5 foot 5 inches on a good day, I should not weigh that much unless I am just ripped full of muscles. Well, I wasn't that, instead I was just fat. I couldn't hide behind the fact that I was born with a physically large head for my height. So I gave WW a shot. Slowly but surely the pounds went away. My first goal of losing ten pounds came by quickly, within a month, so I set up for 20 pounds. The weight kept coming off but it was getting harder todo it just by not eating as much as I used to - I would tell people I stopped eating thirds initially and then stopped eating seconds, finally figuring out what a proper portion of food should be.

After some time I decided to do some form of exercise to augment my eating less. Walking seemed to be the easiest thing to do. I decided to get ambitious and set a goal for my walking - to walk the Disneyland half marathon in less than 3 and 1/2 hours!! The half was on Labor Day weekend and this was in April when I decided on the goal. 5 months seemed like it was do-able. I had to walk at a 16 minute mile pace to achieve the goal so I went at it. By the end of May I was walking up to 7 miles and at a 15 minute pace so I was stoked. By my birthday I was up to 8 miles but my pace had decreased to about 14:30 so more good news. Then I was told at work that I had a chance to go to France but that the trip would be over the Labor Day weekend. I was disappointed to miss out on the halfmarathon, but we're talking about a free trip to France!

I continued my walking regimen despite the goal of the Disneyland half no longer existed. Guess I wanted to show myself that I could have done it. I participated in the Wounded Warrior 5K on base and I did it in about 41 minutes. Well, walking at a pace faster than 14 minute miles was beginning to hurt so I decided to jog a little and then walk the rest. Other 5Ks came and I signed up for them. There was the Be The One 5K in Long Beach, where I jogged more than half of the distance and I finished in 31 minutes - 10 minutes faster that the Wounded Warrior 5K. The Calabasas Classic was done in 32 minutes but that had some hills so that was okay. The Ventura Turkey Trot 5K was the first one when I completed it in under 30 minutes. I remember turning the final corner and seeing the clock at 29 minutes, so I just grinned and ran as fast as I could, and I did it 29:51.

After this race I got it in my head to try and find a half marathon to participate in and see if I could do it. My walking/running had gone up to about ten miles and at under a 12 minute mile pace. This gave me plenty of wiggle room should I get too tired at the end and walk a bit slower. So I looked for a half and saw that there was one in Venice the middle of January, the LA 13.1. It was a flat course, starting off at the boardwalk in Venice, then about 6 miles each way up and back on Venice before ending up at Venice Beach again. With a goal set I went at it. Thank goodness I had the last two weeks of December to really concentrate and it paid off. To make a log story not as long, not only did I finish the LA 13.1 in under 3 and 1/2 hours - I actually had thought I could do it in 2 and 1/2 hours - I did it in 2:06:51. Yes, I averaged 9:40 miles for 13.1 miles. This blew my mind and totally set me up for disappointment, should I not finish another half in less than two hours. Actually I am okay with it. I will continue to walk/jog/run - whatever it is I will call it. To insure my transition into a runner, I joined the Inside Track running club. I will try to join them on Tuesdays as they work on drills, and on Saturdays for their long runs.

As of today I have signed up to do the Old Agoura 10K and then the Coaster 5K the end of March. I think I will sign up for the Ojai to Ocean half marathon in June, and I have signed up for the Disneyland half marathon in September. So those are my goals for now, to compete in those and do the best I can. Stand by for updates on my training, my actual races, and maybe some random musings I may post about.