day one... ARE YOU IN??

today is day one of project "like a gazelle". for those of you who don't know, i have challenged myself and several others close to me (we'll see who accepts the challenge) to run a half marathon. i'm really excited to really push myself to do something that feels somewhat impossible to me right now. (oh, by the way- if you are reading this, I HEREBY CHALLENGE YOU!!) are you in???
after making calendars and schedules last night to somehow get this terribly out of shape body ready for the day of reckoning (May 26th - Memorial Day - Saddleback Memorial Half Marathon), i debated this morning if training should really begin today or if i should wait until the rain passed. (here i go- already wishy washy! why do you think i'm trying to recruit as many people as possible to join me??!! so i won't back out of course!!) i had originally told clint that i would like to be able to run in the morning after owen wakes up so i can go at it alone and be home before clint leaves for work.
this morning i was up at 6 to feed the boy and out of habit climbed back into bed. i was rationalizing. i could practically see the little angel on my shoulder, bright-eyed and bushy tailed with running shoes all laced up and ready to go. "come on jess. you can do this! prove to yourself that you will do this! it doesn't matter that it's raining! just go to the clubhouse!" (yes, by the way. we have a gym in our clubhouse with working treadmills. so, rain... it's just no excuse.) on the other shoulder was the little devil in slippers and pj's with eyes half open - "it's way too early. you went to bed way too late. (stupid American Gladiators.) just start tomorrow. or better yet, next week. or even better than that, how about NEVER? and besides, since you are too lazy to have NEVER used that gym in the clubhouse, you don't even know which key will get you in. so you'd better just wait until you figure that out." (sad, but true.)
sounds ludicrous now, but i really did debate. but then i realized that i was never going to sleep peacefully now that i was completely and totally awake battling with myself, so i may as well get up and "prove to myself that i could do this!" (insert cheezy tone here)
so, i did it. i dragged myself out of bed again (diego the dog was shocked by the way) got all ready to go, and headed up to the clubhouse (which was much easier to get into than i had anticipated.)
i expected to find a few do-gooders who were up before work to get their exercise in before the sun had come up -you know... the people that sometimes make you sick for how disciplined they are? but, to my surprise, i was all alone. sweet. and come to find out, that gym is pretty hooked up!! 4 tvs, each hooked up like a real gym with the thingys that you can plug your headphones into - and they were even already set to mtv and vh1, which was far better than listening to the "boy country" music that clint downloaded onto my shuffle. (the nerve!)
friend brooke who has already accepted the challenge gave me some training guidelines to follow (she is also a recovering new mom, also out of shape - sorry brooke- and has actually ran a half marathon before. yeah- i know how to pick'em. ) so, i followed the plan for the day that will help me get ready to run 3 miles without stopping. sounds pretty pathetic, huh? today's routine was 5 min run, 1 min walk - 5 times. i thought it sounded pretty easy too. and the first 10 min or so i was feelin goooood. checkin myself out in the mirror (you know you do it too), thinkin "yeah... you're gooooood. no sweat. piece a cake."
then i remembered why i always get sick of running. that blasted knee of mine. i somehow injured my knee (i think it is an old field hockey injury - don't make fun) and the dull pain usually sets in about 10 or 15 minutes in. this has prevented me from ever really attempting to love running in the past, but only because i was too lazy to learn what the problem is. i see now that if i am going to ever run "like a gazelle" and fulfill my dreams of becoming a half-marathoner, i am going to have to figure something out. cuz really, 1.4 miles and i'm feeling it? multiplied by 9.36 (do the math) is not going to feel good. i'm not sure if maybe i run funny (highly likely), if i need different shoes, if i need to strengthen the muscles around my knee, or if i need one of those super stylish ace-bandage-type thingys that sporty-types wear on their knees (what is that supposed to do anyway?) - but i've got to get to the bottom of this.
i did finish my "workout" (if you can call it that) in spite of the annoying knee, and i am determined to keep at it. no more excuses from this one.
the best part of the morning? walking back home in the rain, feeling all cool, inspiring envy in those i passed - i know they were thinking i was one of those annoying people who exercises before the sun comes up- and then walking in the door to see the hubby and puppy waiting anxiously for me. i knew they were proud that i'd actually done something i said i would (not that the puppy is really conscious of that, but he looked proud of me!) and then the kicker... as clint walked out the door he stopped and looked back at me and said it: "i'm proud of you, babe."
awww..... isn't that the sweetest??? i know, i cried after he left. (you think i'm kidding?)
that's enough to get me up in the morning again!!