Well, in this case, the journey of 26.2 miles...starts with a single step. Quite literally, this is where I am beginning.
For about a week, I have debated about just how "real" to be on this blog, but I have come to the conclusion that there is no sense in holding back since you all know me anyway. The Fit By 40! goal is very meaningful to me in many ways. It represents more than a number on a scale. It signifies a new attitude about better nutrition, a healthier lifestyle, and a new interest in physical activity. All three of these elements are necessary to make the change I want from the inside out!
But, back to the current reality. Though I have seen great improvements during the past 6-weeks of pre-training, I have a LONG way to go:
* Weight I need to lose: 50 lbs
* Avg length of time I can run on a treadmill before calling 9-1-1: 2 min
* Avg speed on the treadmill without passing out: S-L-O-W (13.0 min mile)
So, yes, I have my work cut out for me and the road may not be easy. But, one thing I know for sure is that if I don't get moving now, this situation has no chance of improving. I hope by sharing this info, perhaps someone else can relate and be inspired to join me to get Fit By 40! (or any age)! You may not want to run a marathon, but consider taking a first step!
Until next time,
Lisa
Friday, October 30, 2009
Thursday, October 29, 2009
What Have I Gotten Myself Into?
It's official. On Saturday, October 24th, I registered with the TNT as a participant for the Paris Marathon. At the small introductory event, I met staff and trainers from TNT and about 15 other "hopefuls" (like myself) who also signed up to train for various full-marathons, half-marathons, 100-mile bike rides, and triathlons this coming spring. I learned a lot about the mission of the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society, the progress that has been made in the fight to cure blood cancers, a tiny bit about the training program itself, and some information about my fundraising goals.
In a nutshell, TNT provides the training and logistics and I provide the running and the fundraising. My fundraising goal for the Paris Marathon is $5,500, and I am confident I can reach that with just a little help from many people. (More to come in later blogs.) What I must admit that I am still very concerned about is my ability (or current inability) to hoof it 26.2 miles!
That said, though I arrived at the meeting focused on achieving my personal Fit By 40! goal, what I took away from the event was how important the entire TEAM will be to my success. From the coaching of the trainers, to the motivation I will receive from other runners, to the inspiration from Honored Heroes, and the generous support and encouragement of friends and family, it is a terribly exciting to know that I am embarking on this journey with a huge network ready to cheer me on!
Thanks for being part of my team! I will not let you down.
Until next time,
Lisa
In a nutshell, TNT provides the training and logistics and I provide the running and the fundraising. My fundraising goal for the Paris Marathon is $5,500, and I am confident I can reach that with just a little help from many people. (More to come in later blogs.) What I must admit that I am still very concerned about is my ability (or current inability) to hoof it 26.2 miles!
That said, though I arrived at the meeting focused on achieving my personal Fit By 40! goal, what I took away from the event was how important the entire TEAM will be to my success. From the coaching of the trainers, to the motivation I will receive from other runners, to the inspiration from Honored Heroes, and the generous support and encouragement of friends and family, it is a terribly exciting to know that I am embarking on this journey with a huge network ready to cheer me on!
Thanks for being part of my team! I will not let you down.
Until next time,
Lisa
Fit By 40! .... the Quest Begins
Welcome to my blogsite and thank you for supporting my Run to Paris!
How it all started.....
Providing things go as planned, I will celebrate my 40th birthday on August 30th, 2010. For several months now, I have had friends and family inquire about my plans to mark the big milestone. Though hosting a blow-out party sounds like a whole lot of fun (and still may happen), I began considering other options. About two months ago, I finally figured it out. There was only one thing I really wanted at 40, and it was a gift I could only give myself. For my birthday, I want to be in the best physical shape of my life! With that, the quest to be Fit By 40! was on!
Though extremely excited about this possibility, I spent the next 24 hours trying to figure out how this miracle would actually occur. Sitting at my computer it hit me instantly. Four years ago, a former Bank of America colleague, Kevin Collins, introduced me to the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society's (LLS) Team In Training (TNT) program. I had received their brochures ever since and had promised myself that a marathon was a bucket-list item I would get to someday.
I will admit that the thought of me running around the block, much less running a marathon was hugely laughable when I googled the TNT website. As I sat there reading about the LLS organization, the training program, and their success with "beginner-level" athletes, I started to warm up the idea. According to the website, TNT has coached over 400,000 people across the finish lines in endurance events, and I started to feel pretty confident that I would not be the most out-of-shape person they had ever met. The next two things I read, however, made the decision for me. I found out that not only was Spring training beginning in less than a month, but the featured marathon of the season was the Marathon de Paris! At that moment I was committed to the marathon and left with two distinct thoughts: "Well, if you're gonna do it, you might as well do it big!" and "Holy Crap!".
The next day, I reintroduced myself to the gym, bought new running shoes, and within a week I had cut my hair to make training easier. I have been pre-training for about a month and progress has been slow but steady.
I plan to use this blog to share details about my training experience, my fundraising efforts, introduce you to the Honored Heroes I will be running for, and share information about the great work of the LLS. I hope you check back frequently for updates and post words of encouragement along the way.
Until next time,
Lisa
a.k.a. Runner Extraordinaire
How it all started.....
Providing things go as planned, I will celebrate my 40th birthday on August 30th, 2010. For several months now, I have had friends and family inquire about my plans to mark the big milestone. Though hosting a blow-out party sounds like a whole lot of fun (and still may happen), I began considering other options. About two months ago, I finally figured it out. There was only one thing I really wanted at 40, and it was a gift I could only give myself. For my birthday, I want to be in the best physical shape of my life! With that, the quest to be Fit By 40! was on!
Though extremely excited about this possibility, I spent the next 24 hours trying to figure out how this miracle would actually occur. Sitting at my computer it hit me instantly. Four years ago, a former Bank of America colleague, Kevin Collins, introduced me to the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society's (LLS) Team In Training (TNT) program. I had received their brochures ever since and had promised myself that a marathon was a bucket-list item I would get to someday.
I will admit that the thought of me running around the block, much less running a marathon was hugely laughable when I googled the TNT website. As I sat there reading about the LLS organization, the training program, and their success with "beginner-level" athletes, I started to warm up the idea. According to the website, TNT has coached over 400,000 people across the finish lines in endurance events, and I started to feel pretty confident that I would not be the most out-of-shape person they had ever met. The next two things I read, however, made the decision for me. I found out that not only was Spring training beginning in less than a month, but the featured marathon of the season was the Marathon de Paris! At that moment I was committed to the marathon and left with two distinct thoughts: "Well, if you're gonna do it, you might as well do it big!" and "Holy Crap!".
The next day, I reintroduced myself to the gym, bought new running shoes, and within a week I had cut my hair to make training easier. I have been pre-training for about a month and progress has been slow but steady.
I plan to use this blog to share details about my training experience, my fundraising efforts, introduce you to the Honored Heroes I will be running for, and share information about the great work of the LLS. I hope you check back frequently for updates and post words of encouragement along the way.
Until next time,
Lisa
a.k.a. Runner Extraordinaire
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