Thoughts on this Running Thing

Wow, there are people who still read my posts. *blush* thanks for chiming in, folks. Just to answer some of the FAQs lately, here goes.

* I ran cross-country in 11th grade, back in Ohio. I was in CA that summer, so I had to go out for my training runs in Inland Empire CA summer heat. Boy was that a lesson in discipline! I would run as early as possible in the AM, hoping to find sprinklers on in people’s yards that I could dash through. I finished the season, but never really ran again after that year.

* I have been dancing ATS (American Tribal Style) bellydance since July 2010, increasing from 1-hour per week to now I dance 7+ hours per week in 6 classes, plus some weekend workshops and some weekend performances.

* I’ve never had knee trouble although occasionally I have had ankle troubles over the years. Not too much, and a pretty decent sense for “regular pain” versus “get medical treatment pain.”

* I’ll be doing a 10-week “Preliminary Training Program” first, before the actual Marathon training program. It starts at week #1 with moderate walking (at the speed of 17-20 min per mile) for 30 minutes 3x per week. It ends in week #10 at jogging for 30 minutes 4x per week. It might take me longer than 10 weeks to get through the prelim training, and I’m okay with that.

* My goal will naturally take me through the 3K, 5K, 10K, half-marathon marks. I’m not too worried about that either. Everything is about baby steps, achievable goals, steady progression.

* I’m likely to look for minimal footwear shopping options. I prefer flats with thin soles over any other shoes in the universe. I have very VERY high arches and cannot STAND thick/padded insoles. But probably not the toe-shoes… ewww. I cannot stand to wear toe SOCKS, so I’ll avoid the barefoot toes-built-into-these shoes.

* I’m not that worried about the calendar at all. It might be nice to say “I’ll be ready by next year’s LA marathon” but the real goal will be the day I can *COMPLETE* a marathon, regardless of the day, month, or year.

* I’m not sure I’ll have the luxury of joining up with other runners. I have a crazy life calendar and schedule, so I may just have to run when I’m free to run. No real method for avoiding that, until the day when I have a different job and different commute. There’s no shower at my current work, and I have to budget 2-hours to drive to work in the AM and 2-hours to drive home, and then I have dance classes 4 nights per week. Running time with other runners won’t happen for a while yet.

* Besides LJ, I’m getting some great feedback on Google+, Twitter, and Fitocracy. If any of you here on LJ are not already part of those discussions and want to be, you can find me either under this LJ handle or under my modern name.

* THANK YOU, everyone, for the feedback. This is really cool

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