Day 1

Well, my official 11-week training program started today. Yes, I said 11 weeks. It turns out there are 11 weeks between now and the race. Generally, you plan better than I have done. You don't get a phone call from a friend and randomly decide that you'll run 13.1 miles (well, not if you begin by being horribly out of shape). No, you plan, you figure out how much time you have, then you pick a race that makes sense. Or, you just pick your race months in advance and count back 10 or 12 weeks. Not 11. So, I've modified a 12-week program.

Anyway, today is listed as a 3 mile run day. So I got up at 5am (OK, it was 5:15 by the time I was out of bed) and hit the road (at 5:25). It should not have taken me that much time, but it did. Anyway, it was fine. I ran. It's nice at 5am -- not a lot of cars. I saw one dog-walker and 2 other runners, other than that, it was pretty quiet. It took me about 35 minutes to go three miles, or about 11 minutes a mile. (I will not be getting all crazy about times and heart rates and VO2 max and shit. My plan is to run the thing, not race it. I have no pretentions to the Boston Marathon.)

The really cool thing is that all the teachers at my school are duly impressed. I mean, I'm just a bit impressed by my athletic prowess, and it's nice that the teaches are also impressed. They can't believe that I a) plan on running 13.1 miles b) can up and run 3 miles and c) will get up at 5am to do so. I love the attention. And, it's just one more thing to keep me honest. Now I *really* have to go through with it.

Tomorrow is a "stretch/strengthen" day, which is really a rest day. So, just some light weight lifting and some attention to my stretches. I'm going to try to check out the 6am yoga class -- I don't know if you're supposed to sign up in advance (I'm on a trial pass at the Y), because what is better for strength and stretching than yoga? Maybe Pilates, but they only have one Pilates class, and it's at stinkin' 8:15am. I'm really not impressed with their class schedule list. Anyway, I've been jonesing for some yoga (I know, my transition to hippy-crunchy-granola-tree-hugging freak is complete), so I hope I can get it and it's at least half-way decent.

And, we have a winner on the post label. Rach had a good suggestion with 'kercise -- which I could add kantankerous or killer to, but Hollis wins with Kardiac Katastrophe. If it makes me bust out laughing while walking across campus, it's a sure winner. Your present is in the mail, er... yeah.