I shop, therefore I am serious

Ok, things are about to really pick up around here. Saturday, I have my first official training run. It’s 6 miles. I’m amazed at how quickly you can sort of fall out of racing shape. A couple of months ago, I would have scoffed at 6 miles. These days, I know I can run that far without stopping, but I think I will keep the scoffs in check. I’ll try to update here afterwards.

This run will be a good test of whether cross-training and speed training are just stupid fancy terms that should make us all hate more serious runners. I have been doing all sorts of silly classes at the gym that have nothing to do with running (yes, this includes “steaming class” and “layout out on the sundeck and reading the paper class,” but it also includes water aerobics), partly because Coach Rich keeps insisting that you can’t run more than two days in a row. Also, over the last week, I have tried a couple of times to run this treadmill plan.The last time I did it (my second try), I only made it through the first hill (about 24 minutes), and then finished the three miles at a flat 6 mph. It is really HARD, but I’m hoping to run the whole thing tonight. In fact, I am counting on it, because I just ate a smidge of candy.

Also, I bought new shoes. I had been meaning to do that for a while, but the deal was sealed when I packed up my stuff at Dad’s place in the dark and randomly burgled Susan’s running shoes instead of packing my own. Anyway, I was going to get the same type of shoes that I have bought twice before, until I saw these babies. They are pink! I believe this will be very important at mile 22.