Slow and Steady Wins the Race

I was informed, via email, today by the head traitor girlfriend that "You all need to sign up for at least a 5k in the spring (deadline: April 15!) Side note: Lynne, these 5k's are not "just for fun" they are an investment in your half-marathon future!!" Ouch! I felt like I was called out by the teacher in front of the whole class. In order to redeem myself in the eyes of the head traitor, I dutifully signed up for a 5k walk/run taking place on March 6th. I also called my mother and informed her that she will be participating in this race with me.

I recently had the horrifying realization that at my current speed of 22 minutes per mile, it will take me roughly 6.5 hours to complete this race. Something tells me that this is not an acceptable time. I have these terrifying visions of finally reaching the finish line of my first half-marathon, only to discover that everything has been packed up, and all of the participants have gone home. I picture wadded up papers with numbers on them rolling through the streets like tumbleweeds. The possibility of this bleak future is currently fueling my slow, but steady, progress.

Two days ago, I began to develop a nasty, phlegmy cough. I even had to leave work early yesterday. I spent most of last night in a cough medicine induced stupor and, thus, was benched from my training. Today, I am not feeling much better, but I did walk a mile and a half on my treadmill. My pace was slower than it has been lately, but I am proud of myself for doing it at all. In my pre-marathon days, I have been known to put on my exercise clothes and tennis shoes, walk outside, experience some menial amount of discomfort (a sniffle, a toe cramp, a hiccup, etc), swiftly pronounce myself too unwell to exercise, and banish myself to the couch for the rest of the evening. Gone are these good old days...

Tomorrow's assignment is to walk for 30 min and run for at least 1 minute.