One of the goals on my Day Zero Project list is to run a 5K. I've been thinking about that and realizing it's not a very ambitious goal. Just over 3 miles. Sure, I couldn't currently run that without some walking here and there. But I used to do a lot of running--mostly because I had to in high school physical education classes, which are mandatory every year in the state of Illinois. I also took a mini fitness jogging class in college as part of a freshman year requirement, and I do a lot of walking in my daily life. It is therefore my belief that I could rather easily attain the level of fitness required to run a 5K, which mostly defeats the purpose of the goal.
The level of discipline and of physical fitness (mental, too, I suppose) necessary to complete a half-marathon is much higher. If done correctly, I would be pushed to greater health, and I would have made a huge accomplishment that I could forever be proud of. I hope to form habits (exercise and nutrition) that will persist long past race day. Just completing a half-marathon at all would be exciting, but my real goal is to be able to run the entire (approximately) 13.1 miles nonstop. I have not registered yet, mostly due to a current lack of funds, but my half-marathon of choice is the Rock 'n' Roll Chicago Half Marathon on August 21, 2011, theoretically giving me plenty of time to train.
I've begun a lot of research online and have requested several related books from my local library. If anybody has additional advice or motivational words, please share! The main purpose of this blog is to keep myself accountable; if people are reading about my progress, I am more likely to stick with it and push myself when I am feeling lazy. So please leave me comments and/or talk with me about this whole half-marathon thing in another setting--Facebook, AIM, in person, etc.
P.S. The "no running" image as my profile picture was intentionally ironic.
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