Image by © Royalty-Free/Corbis
I know. Amy’s blogging on a Wednesday, what’s up with that? Well, I’m embarking on a cool journey and I wanted to share. I’ll try to share once every week or two—always on a Wednesday. Let’s call them “Workout Wednesdays.”
What’s the journey? I’ve signed up to participate in a half-marathon at Walt Disney World in January 2013. Now, this isn’t a race, per se. Participants are allowed to run and/or walk, as long as they maintain a pace of one mile every 17 minutes. But a half-marathon is 13+ miles, so I don’t expect to just mosey out and get ‘er done.
I’m going to train.
Okay, maybe not train. Let’s say I will prepare. I’m not a gym junkie, and I haven’t jogged in years. I try to walk a few times a week, but it’s not like I’m timing myself or measuring the distance. I’m not competitive when it comes to sports. So, you may be wondering why I would even want to attempt this foolishness. And well you should ask.
I’m going to celebrate turning 50 within the next year. I’ve begun to feel my age in little ways. And sitting at a computer much of the day doesn’t help. Diabetes runs in the genetic makeup of my family. Cholesterol can be a problem. I am very fortunate to be as healthy as I am, but I know I have to continue to work at it.
So now I have a goal—one I’m looking forward to. My husband and I will meet some out-of-town friends in Orlando in January. We’ll all participate in the half-marathon, and then we’ll hang at the parks for a couple of days. Meanwhile, for the next 6 months or so, I have a reason to improve my eating habits, work out regularly, and build my muscle tone and stamina.
Some people may think this sounds like a pretty easy goal. Others have told me they admire me for undertaking something so arduous. I’m excited because it’s new and I’ve always aspired to be one of those people who runs. This journey will introduce me to new people and new experiences. And I really hope it will build a healthy habit that will sustain me for the next, um, 50 or so years.
Do I have a plan? Not by a long shot! But I’m at the starting line. Check back on Wednesdays (I can’t guarantee I’ll be here every Wed., but I’ll try to hit it at least every other Wednesday—or just subscribe to my RSS feed). I’ll share my progress reports, maybe a healthy recipe, some links to other articles and videos that talk about general health and exercise.
Which reminds me: Step One will be to visit my doctor and get a Wellness Check (a lot of insurance plans now cover these 100%) including bloodwork to review my blood sugar, cholesterol and identify that I’m healthy enough to start my training. Wish me luck!