The Unathletic Perspective: Running a (Half) Marathon

"I'm running a marathon in May. Want to do it with me?"

I had been telling my friend Katie that I was sick of my workout routine, and I needed something to strive for - a goal to keep me going. This was her response. At first I laughed it off. I had never run more than about 6 miles, and that was years ago. Lately, I was lucky to stay on the treadmill for two. I couldn't fathom what it would take to run 13, and I wasn't sure if my body was equipped for that kind of distance.

The more I talked to Katie, though, the more inspired I was. I was complaining that I needed a goal, and this was my opportunity. Besides, I had 4 months to prepare. I knew that once I set my mind to it, I could pull it off...or at least I had hoped so. The first couple of weeks proved to be the most difficult. I was supposed to be going an additional mile every two weeks, and I couldn't seem to get past the three mile mark. Then, I went out and bought an iPod. Sure, it's a bit of an investment, but since I was only going to be using it for my workouts, I went for the Shuffle, and it didn't put too large of a dent in my wallet. My next workout, I rand 4.5 miles. I felt more prepared than ever.

My advice to anyone who is even remotely cheap - Pay upfront as soon as possible. Once I was financially committed, there was no backing out for me. So, I paid my money and began doing some research. I learned that weight lifting is also an important element to preparing the body for a race like this. I found a class at my gym that offered full body weight lifting for any level and began to pump some iron. And no, I didn't bulk up. For most women, it is impossible to get large without taking supplements. Instead, the body becomes toned - think Jennifer Aniston arms.