Ahhhh!

This morning I had an anxiety attack. No, I'm not mental (at least I don't admit to being) just stressed. As this semester winds down and the end of term chaos ensues, I realized that I don't get a nice relaxing Christmas break. I have to return to my (much neglected) thesis work AND begin preparing for my first time ever lecturing a university level course (which I am utterly and completely terrified to do). I somehow have to juggle finishing up data entry, writing my thesis, teaching class three days a week, and training for this 10k. So many things on my "To-Do List" and I suddenly feel suffocated. Like someone pecked me on the shoulder and then, without warning, wrapped a plastic bag around my head. But alas, such is life, right? I will get through it somehow and hopefully this 10k goal will provide a wonderful distraction from academia. But first I gotta get through these next two weeks of finals, papers, and abstracts and then - ON TO TRAINING! Oy vey.

So I started a blog.

I don't run.  Or, at least, I didn't until May of this year.  A friend of mine (jokingly at first, I think) suggested over a beer that I should run a 5k race with her.
"Sure! I can totally do that."  I said and I drank my beer happily never thinking she'd bring it up again.  It was one of those conversations you have while sipping a cold one, the type that, once the beer is empty and you've moved on to nail polish or whose house you'd be partying at that weekend, was suppose to be over.  Except it wasn't.  She brought it up again via text totally calling me out.  So I agreed, but I said I needed a month to train, and so it began...
Two weeks later she conned me into running a race with her early.  I did and my only goal was to RUN the entire race, not stop, not walk, if I had to run in baby steps and it took me two hours, I'd run the entire damn thing.  And guess what?  I did.  I ran another a few weeks later.  I was freakin' pumped.  I thought "I can do this! I'm a runner!"  Then I hurt my shins.  Apparently I "underpronate" which means when I step I roll my feet and the majority of my weight is on the outside edges of my feet.  This leads to lower leg pain and shin splints.  There I was, happily running, losing weight,  getting stronger, feeling empowered and BAM, it was over.  I was out of the running game for at least a month and I had to buy new shoes (mine were ridiculously worn on the edges).  I eventually bought new shoes and tried to get back at the running game. I quickly discovered that it doesn't take long to go back to square one. Base zero. I could barely run 2 miles. I gave up. Classes started again and I haven't jogged, skipped, or done anything remotely close to running in three months (unless you count running down the hallway because you're late for class).   So I started a blog.  I, amazingly enough,  enjoyed running.  Before, I always made excuses:
"My legs are too short."
"My boobs are too big."
"I don't have the proper running attire."
"I can't find a sports bra that is comfortable."
"My underwear falls down."

I'm good at making excuses and talking myself out of something that,  more often than not, is really good for me.  But once I signed up for a race and there was a good chance for embarrassment, I just did it. I wasn't bad at it! But a 10k is a whole 'nother ball game.  I started this blog to accomplish a few things:
1. Keep myself accountable.
2. Motivate (myself and maybe somebody else out there who doubts themselves).
3. To show people that goals are attainable for real people.

So here we go, people.  It begins now.  The first step was creating this blog, and I've done it.  I'll be posting updates on nutrition, workout routines, mini-goals, and posting really embarrassing pictures of my progress.  Sounds like a plan to me!