Wheezy: Starting Gun

Did I tell you the race I'm running is called the Sea Wheeze? The word "wheeze" is in the title, and wheezing is exactly what I'll be doing if I don't get it together.

I started last Monday.  Well, I should say that we started last Monday--Mr. Goodlaff is my local training partner. Misery loves company, after all.  So, last Monday we laced up our shoes and headed out the door into the fast approaching darkness. Our walk wasn't notable in its length or scenery, but I did suffer my first training-related injury.

Low light, plus a large stick, combined with my clumsiness made a perfect recipe for my first training-related injury.  I fell, bruised my shin, banged my elbow, bashed my hip, and although the gloves I was wearing stopped any bad road rash on my palms, I still suffered pretty bad rug burn (glove burn?). Really, Universe? On the first day? A few seconds later I picked myself back up and we kept going--suck it up, buttercup.

I'm pretty happy that my training plan (if we can call it that), involves about five weeks of just walking.  No set time limit, no set distance, just getting used to moving and getting my blood pumping. We tend to walk between two and three miles or about an hour most days, and it's been fun exploring our neighborhood on foot.  I have a feeling I will look back on these weeks and wish for the good old days....

Once my five weeks is up, I'll take about 20 weeks to slowly work up to being able to run for several minutes at a time--I know, it sounds scary to me too.  I haven't run since high school, and only then begrudgingly.  After my 20 weeks of conditioning, I start a 12 week half marathon training program, which means running almost every day.

How did I come up with all of this? Google.

My main sources of information came from here and here.  Are they good?  I have no idea.  But they seem doable, and it was free advice.

If you have any advice (besides quitting while I'm ahead), feel free to pass it along.