Vanquish the weak.
Hurdle the dead.
Arrive triumphant.

These are the words I tell myself while I run.  That and o.m.g. how many more KM do we have left?

I’m kidding.  Kind of.  I really do love running, it’s something that I have become addicted to.  And it’s something I never thought I would ever do.  You see, a long, long time ago, back in the day, when the T-Rex was still around – ok not quite but you get the point – we were forced to run in grade school.  Cross Country.  In the very chilly early fall mornings.  There was no getting around it and it was suppose to build character.  Are you kidding me? is what I would think.  Build character?  The only thing this is building is resentment and an intense dislike of any phyicial activity!  But that’s how it was done at a progressive “new curriculum” school.  Oh those really were the days …. 🙂

Anyway, I digress.  These days I am training for my first 1/2 Marathon!  Who knew!!  Not me thats for sure!  And there are some days, especially on our Sunday Long Slow Distance runs that I really think – am I really doing this for real?  Did I just really run 15km and feel fantastic?!  It boggles my mind.

The training has been steady and gradually getting more and more intense and we have started Hill training.  Oh Hill Training.  It gives me anxiety.  Seriously.  You have no idea how worked up I get thinking that Wednesdays we train on hills.  And every week the number of hills we do increases.  We are up to 7 hills this week  7 HILLS!!!!!!  I know a lot of people out there can’t really imagine running 7 hills – and each hill is one up and one down.  Each hill is 1 km. In order to get to said hills we have to run to these hills and once done we have to run back to the Running Room Store.  Each hill you start off at the bottom and (breathing deep) start your ascend at a pretty regular pace and continue to increase your speed, remembering to watch your form, your feet placement (short, steady is best) and of course remembering to breath.  By the time you get 3/4 of the way to the top you should be giving it your all and RACING up to the top. At this point the feeling of nausea and that blue haze in your peripheral is expected – and normal and required.  Or your not doing it right.  And there should be no way for you to be able to even talk.  Until you hit the top where you can take a deep breath and swear like a sailor  and turn around and head down hill. Slower and steadier, small strides, arms low and relaxed.  Until you get to the bottom and have to do this again.  6 more times.

I think you get the picture.  And might understand why I get a little anxious on Wednesdays.

Since I’m publically stating that I am in fact going to run in a 1/2 Marathon I am going to pubically lay out my running goals for the next 12 months:

First  (test race to see if I don’t actually die running it) 1/2 Marathon – Whitby International North (WIN) Marathon and 1/2 Marathon – May 27, 2012   http://www.winmarathon.com/

Second 1/2 Marathon (if I’m crazy enough to consider a second one) – Toronto ScotiaBank Marathon & 1/2 Marathon.    October 14, 2012 (week of my birthday!)  http://www.torontowaterfrontmarathon.com/en/index.htm

I want that FOIL!!!  I want to not just have some other runner  – an elite runner no less – hand me his foil but I want to EARN my own foil.  Crazy chick right?

Third 1/2 Marathon (and hoping to beat what every PB I’ve hit by this race) – Angus Glen in November 2012.  Apparently a very good race – rather hilly but with excellent perks including showers, lockers in the clubhouse AND fabulous food – who doesn’t fabulous food….

Fourth and main Goal 1/2 Marathon – Disney’s Princess 1/2 Marathon, Orlando Florida.  http://espnwwos.disney.go.com/events/rundisney/princess-half-marathon

Yes I want to do this one.   And yes I want to wear a tiny tiara on my baseball hat AND a cute little skirt.

Provide it I make it through this training that is……