I’m running WHAT?

Hi blog!  Remember me?  I’m Shannon. I used to write you, back when I used to run and eat healthfully.  Here’s a quick recap of my life since August 2010:

• My Dad had a cancerous brain tumor removed. He’s doing very well on the chemo now, but it made for a scary autumn!
• In September I started my graduate program for my dream career: Speech-language Pathology. WOOHOO!
• Working full time and going to school full time is hard!
• I stopped working out.
• I overate.
• I gained 15 pounds. Doh! (I was already about 20 lbs from my highest “healthy” BMI weight)
• I started Weight Watchers in January, but haven’t been faithful to it. In fact, I currently weigh 0.2 lb MORE than when I started 😦

Blah blah, woe is me, I’m so busy. ENOUGH!  I am READY to be healthy again!  On Friday I read an inspirational post by Matt over at No Meat Athlete. One of the main points was that great goals are NOT “attainable” (no matter what the S.M.A.R.T. people say), but rather, great goals seem impossible. Aiming for a goal that you already know you can achieve isn’t going to inspire major change in your life. But if your goal seems impossible, you MUST change to achieve it. And I need to change, so I’ve set a seemingly impossible goal…  Another point that Matt made was that we should think of a goal as a “decision,” not a “goal.”  I have decided. It’s going to happen….

I’m running a marathon!

I have registered for the Richmond Suntrust Marathon this coming November.  You might think I’m crazy, because I can’t run more than 2 miles straight right now. But I have PLENTY of time to train. And if something goes wrong, I could always downgrade to the half marathon (though I don’t want to keep reminding myself of that option!).

My short term plan:

• Buy Jeff Galloway’s book and read it cover to cover.
• Build up a good weekly mileage base.
• Lose some weight. (Sticking with WW thru 3/10 since it’s already paid for.)
• Join the gym near work so I can work out at lunch.

I’ll let you know which training plan I’m following once I decide.  In the mean time I am just SO FREAKING EXCITED about this!