Now put one foot in front of the other

I've decided to run the Speedy Spaniard, 10k in July! I've never run more than a mile until about two weeks ago when I went out the door and came home 35 minutes later having run 2.8 miles without stopping. For me this was huge!

I hate running. Usually my lungs burn and all the fat in all those unpleasant places jiggles until it burns and finally so many things are burning I think I'm going to die. For the most part that happens within the first mile and all I want to do is go home and take a hot shower (the only kind of good burning I know of).

But after I ran that amazing 2.8 miles, nothing was burning and I actually felt great. So, thinking it was a fluke I went out again last Friday and went 3.3 miles and, except for very painful shin splints, I felt fantastic. So, I think I can do it.

I heard of a great website, that I'm now addicted to, http://www.mapmyrun.com/, which lets you track your training and of course map how far you run. So I'm excited and I think with the three and a half months ahead of me I can get ready for this 10k. I also checked out http://www.halhigdon.com/ which has a great training schedule I'm looking forward to trying. One thing that stuck out for me from all his great advice was when he said, after stretching and warming up, "now put one foot in front of the other." That's it, no so complicated really.

I realize for most people this is no great feat. But even when I was in my best shape in high school playing water polo and swimming three hours a day I couldn't run more than a mile. I hated it. So, what's changed? I don't know but here are my ideas:
1. I get to be by myself, always a plus.
2. I play my ipod so loud I can't hear myself gasping for breath or my feet shuffling along the ground so I think I'm actually doing a great job.
3. My lungs don't burn at all! Thanks to all the yelling I've been doing teaching kickboxing twice a week.
4. Did I mention I get to be all by myself.

So, all I have to do is figure out how to get rid of shin splints and I'm on my way. How exciting! Come July 25th I'll be writing - I did it!