New Year. New Goals. New Optimism.

This is it.
 The adventure begins this month.  I have made the commitment to train and run the Cleveland Marathon with the help and support of the people at Ohio Sports and Fitness Magazine, my devoted husband (Chris), kids, and a great group of supportive friends to help along the way.  This will be my first marathon (although not the first attempt at training for one).  The thought of all the work ahead is extremely overwhelming! Somehow, I am really ecstatic about the challenge.  Bring it on!!!
To begin, I think it is important to establish why I want to achieve this goal.  Somewhere along the way I am going to have to fall back on this reasoning to pull me through some unmotivated moments and some overwhelming workouts.
It took some contemplation to get an answer to this question that will help pull me through.  I think it boils down to proving to myself that I can do it.  If I can do this because I decided to do it and it becomes a reality, then I can do anything (or at least believe in my own strong will).   I have done this to myself before.  Just like everyone one else, there have been life challenges that were either going to beat me or I was going to win over them.  Today, I am going to choose this challenge.  There are some challenges that I have chosen in the past (some successful and some still works in progress).  I chose to get fit, lose, weight, and become a runner.  These are a few past goals that are topics and adventures that I continue to learn about and will probably write more on later.
Today, it is about deciding.
Making a decision to create a goal and follow it through.  A person has to have a little bit of a rebellious side to take on a challenge like running a race at this kind of distance.  Distance is relative to your experience.   Three years ago, this concept would have applied to the idea of racing a 5k.  Then, it was a 10k, then a 1/2 marathon.  Others have found that it takes even more miles to challenge themselves.  I don't know how far or how fast my feet will take me in the future.  Regardless,  I think there is this personality trait (no matter what the distance or event) that is worth digging a little deeper into learning more about.  If you have spent much time with me, you have witnessed a little of my rebel side.  Don't get me wrong.  I have an obligation to be a responsible wife, mother, teacher, coach, etc.  My rebel side is usually pretty tame.  But if someone tells me that I can't do something, well I have been known to just prove them wrong (my husband or mother probably know this all too well).  This mentality can be very destructive.  However, when a positive challenge is set forth then it can be a true asset to have this drive to prove yourself.  I recently read a running article that termed this mentality "grit".  I would like to think that I have a little bit of it and the more I use it, the more it produces itself.  The idea is to keep it channeled toward positive goals and to learn how to tap into it when I need it.  This training will help in this, I'm sure.
Okay, back to the goal:  running 26.2 miles.  Initially, that was it.  Complete the race.  In fact, I trained toward this in the fall and was sidelined with an injury.  But, again, don't tell me that I can't do something.  I have tried to heal smart... kept up on some strength training, tried to keep my weight down, physically therapy, and now (finally) slowly back to running.  Then last week, I met with Marla from Ohio Sports and fitness.  She is super positive.  What a great idea to help follow some of us in training toward our goals (I am anxious to hear from the others.  Are they as nervous as I am?).  There is no better motivation than others knowing about your goals.  Voice them!  It works.  Then I met exercise physiologist, John Rolf.  He is super inspirational.  Just learning his own experience sports and fitness is motivation enough to kick start some serious training!  But, he planted an additional seed... not just to finish the race, but how about some speed too.  So, here I go.  John gave me one pretty challenging plan to follow.  In fact, it is going to take me all of this month following through with workouts just to build up to this training plan. I feel motivated and inspired to get started!
Two hurdles this week:  First, my appointment with the podiatrist.  I need his professional opinion to verify that my injury is healed enough to follow this marathon plan (confidence, surely he won't tell me that I can't).  Second, I actually have to run (and it is below 20 degrees outside and January, not ideal).  Talking about running is easy.  What will I accomplish this week?