I was running...said in your best Forrest Gump

As the headline said I've always talked about doing a 1/2 marathon or a full heck I've even talked of doing the Steamboat 15K but I always followed it with "first I need to lose 20lbs". And of course i would never lose those 20lbs. But at the first of the year i needed to change my life and lose the weight i was so unhappy and very depressed and today i stand 30lbs lighter thanks to Weight Watchers.

My running started when my X boyfriend gave me a Nike+. I decided to do Nike's training for a 5k and in those 12 weeks i lost over 15lbs and found a sport that i really enjoy. Running is the one time a day where its just me and the road and nothing on my mind, I love that feeling of being free of emotions and just having to use my own drive to push each step forward. I never imagined at the start that I would be able to run 5 miles but after those 12 weeks i was up to 7 miles and today i can do 8! My first mile when i started was at a 13 mile pace today I'm at about 9:30 as an average but I can get to 9 minute miles if i push myself. I had planned to take a break over the summer from running and then at the end of it start running for a 10k, which i can already do but i wanted to do it better. Then Jana a girl I met through the Weight Watchers boards had asked me to run the Mankato 1/2 marathon with her since she lives there and I am from Minnesota. I said yes. So that's how I got here.

Once again I am going to train with Nike and it begins Sunday with a 5 mile run. I'll be in Minnesota but there is this awesome dirt running trail by my parents house so I'm really looking forward to the runs i have while there. Monday I have 2 miles and Tuesday I have another 5 all of which I'll still be in Minnesota. Thursday is my first long run (I'll do one a week) and that is at 8 miles and then another 5 next Saturday. I will still be teaching my RPM classes on Monday, Wednesday and Friday until it gets to be to much for me to handle. I'll average about 26 miles a week over the next 12 weeks. I've purchased my first pair of really nice, good running shoes. I went to a runners store, Running Central, got professionally fitted and walked out with the Nike Lunarglides. I've already booked my hotel in Mankato, I believe my sister is going to go and I'm still waiting to hear if my cousin Andrea will be there, I really hope so because I'm going to need all the support I can get. last thing to do is officially register for the race...I know that should have been the first but I haven't done it yet, will probably do that once I get back from Minnesota.

So there is my first blog on my road to the Mankato 1/2 marathon. I'll try to post each day i run but I promise to check in at least once a week. I hope you enjoy my ramblings and thanks for tagging along on my run.