Inspired in part by a dream in which I had to order a size "Jumbo" shirt and also by a fellow knottie, Brie, I've decided to register for some running events. I had a lot of fun doing the Mud Run a year and a half ago, and though I'm no great runner, it's something I can work toward.
Brie is a huge inspiration - she started out at 200 pounds in June 2008, and has lost 50 pounds and ran her first 10K this past weekend. She's signed up for her first marathon in October, and she chronicles her ups and downs on her blog,
The Fit Bride. She talks about everything from nutrition to shoes to the challenges of getting in her training while traveling for work. In her
post about her decision to sign up for the Chicago marathon, she talked about watching the documentary Marathon Challenge and thought to herself "if that fat lady can't even run a mile and she finished the marathon I
definitely can." So I guess I'm thinking along the same lines - if Brie can go from couch potato to marathon runner in 2.5 years, I can certainly survive a 5K or two. I'd like to do the Dirty 6, a 6 mile mud run event on April 24th, and that's my goal, depending on how the 5K events go.
So here's what I'm going to be signing up and training for:
Walk for Wishes 5K benefiting the Make a Wish Foundation. The race is on March 13, what I feel is ample time to get myself up to the 3.1 miles. I remember preparing for the Mud Run and that was 4.2 miles. I'd never ran more than 3, so I was worried about the extra distance. But on race day, the adrenaline and my awesome team pushed me through, despite the fact that the entire course was in a sandy river bed. I wasn't fast, but I finished.
Pat's Run benefiting the Pat Tillman Foundation on April 17. Pat Tillman, if you're not familiar, was a graduate of Arizona State University (boooo, hiss) and played in the NFL. He left his fame and fortune as a professional athlete to serve our country and was killed in action (short story). This is a hugely attended race, so the task of racing with an approximated 20,000 other people will only add to the challenge of running the race. The race is loaded with significance: Pat was #42 at ASU (boooo, hiss) so the race is 4.2 miles and ends on the 42 yard line of ASU's (booo, hiss) football field. I'll have to wear extra layers so I don't get Scum Devil grass on me :)
And then there's the
Dirty 6, a 6.2 mile obstacle course ending in a huge mud pit. This race was so much fun the last time I did it, but also 2 miles shorter. Hopefully, I'll be feeling up to running it a mere week after Pat's Run. Once I get training, I think I'll have a better idea of how running this one will go. What's fun about Mud Runs is that people tend to dress in silly costumes, so it's great people watching. Last time, there was a group of guys dressed up as hill billies and they actually drank a 6 pack each during their run. Not highly recommended, but entertaining nonetheless. Based on the website, this one sounds way more intense and fun than the one I ran before. Giant slip and slides?! Count me in!
Bonus: I told Dan about my new aspirations, and he wants to join me. So this will be another thing we can work toward together :)
