The Plan

Since neither my fiance or I were really in a running routine, we are starting from the beginning.  I have been running, a bit aimlessly, for several months, not really tracking progress, just sort of going out and running and walking every couple of days.  I have already noticed a big difference in working with a schedule, and we're only a little over a week in.  First of all, I feel winded after short bursts of time, when previously I was running for 10 minutes at a time without feeling very tired.  I think I'm pushing a little harder and running a little faster because I have a schedule I'm sticking to.  There's no guess work involved.  It takes the decision-making out of the equation, which I think I will enjoy.  Second of all, I feel like progress is easier to see because the running is measured and slowly increases, which is motivating.  I've also noticed that because I'm running only 3 days a week right now, I find myself getting antsy and anticipating the next run on my days off.

So we're starting with a Couch to 5K program, that will last for 9 weeks.  Then the plan is to do another, a little more intense, 5K training program that lasts 5 weeks and leads up to the week before our wedding.  I'm giving us a bit of a break the week before the wedding, because I'm not really sure what we'll be able to manage, but the week afterward, we'll start with a 10K training program for beginners.  Then the plan is to move on to a half marathon training for novices, and then another half marathon training program, and then the marathon training program.  In all, it's a plan that lasts about 15 months.  A little intense.  It will certainly be a journey.

I wanted to plan the whole thing so that I knew when we needed to hit certain milestones, but now that the plan is in place, I hope that we'll just take this one run at a time.  It's a little overwhelming to look at where we're supposed to be, knowing what we're capable of now.  At the same time, though, I can clearly see us, running with ease in Hawaii, crossing the finish line.  I can smell the ocean, feel the flowers of the lei they place around your neck at the end of the race, feel the sense of accomplishment and also the exhaustion.  I think it will be a beautiful moment.