Run Run Rudolph!

It's midway through week 2 of training.

I haven't missed yet. (okay okay, so what's 2 weeks of training!? Seriously?!)

I'm proud of myself for not missing yet. These first two weeks are seriously easy-- on the grand scale. I mean, what's a measly 3 miles compared to 26.2 miles (the race amount)?! Some days I really REALLY don't want to run. But I remind myself that if I can't convince myself to get on the treadmill for a simple 1/2 hour run, how the heck do I expect to do a 5 HOUR run!? I mean, let's be serious here-- if I can't do 3 miles, I'm not good enough to do a marathon.

And don't tell me I'm not good enough. That just fuels me.

So I run.

Truth be told, I run less because of the marathon itself, and more because I want to lose weight. I could care less how healthy my arteries and heart are. I mean, that's nice and all. But I just. don't. care. I don't care what running is doing to my knees or ankles or lungs or joints or spleen. I just know it makes lean bodies and tight bums.. and, let's be honest here, why else would I be running!!!?

No, I'm purely in it for the vanity. And that's the part that pushes me to keep running. Sure sure, I'll go to the marathon. it's a good 'goal'. Running JUST to lose weight won't be enough of a reason for me to continue (although, it should be!). And, if I do my daily training, NO MATTER HOW SUCKY I AM AT IT, at least, if I can't make it through the marathon come April, I'll know that I didn't ever miss a training day, and I had no 'excuse' for not being trained enough. I know me. I know that skipping even ONE day will do one of two things...

1. Skipping one will make it easier to skip another one down the road. To find a lame excuse after lame excuse. And, seriously, if I'm going to skip a run, it best be because I'm in a hospital bed. Dying. Of something life-threatening. Or a colonoscopy. through my mouth.
   No wasting 'skipped run days' on "I DON'T FEEL LIKE RUNNING" excuses! That's just sissy.
   
   
2. If I don't make it to the marathon, or I don't make it THROUGH the marathon, I'll only blame "December 18th" for my failed goal. The elusive day I didn't run when I should have. When I could have. No, I will NOT make myself have a crutch when I don't need one. Isnt' there a saying, "No other success can compensate for failure in the roam". :)
   

And I'm competitive.
Against myself. Against people who think I can't do this. And against people who have done this and have shown that there is no excuse strong enough to keep it from happening. If THEY can do this, I can. And should.

Running 6 miles on Saturday was one of the best feelings yet. Sure, it may still be 20 miles away from the TRUE marathon length. But for the first week, I'll take that sense of accomplishment and run with it. (har har) It's a GREAT feeling to finish the day's run. To feel like I reached another mini-goal. That I accomplished something great in spite of not wanting to.

So I run for that feeling.

But, truly, I just want the bum. Let's be honest.