One Week. One Blog. Two Blisters.

       I am a girl who generally doesn't tip toe into things.  My style is more of a jump-as-gracefully-as-possible-off-cliff-eyes-closed-no-other-option-announce-to-the-world-cannonball-break-limb.... etc... To get a wee basis of my track record, let's make a list of my past 'little goals' shall we?

       Quit Chocolate.   Well I am a 24 year old girl.  A chocoholic.  Why I made this goal?  To shed a few pounds (the basis behind too many of my goals I must admit).  Why this goal failed?  Two immediate reasons.  1.  I am a girl.  2.  The moment something becomes forbidden it becomes that much more desirable.  Shocking really that this failed.   I'll probably make this goal many more times in my future years.  I think I now make this goal knowing that it will probably last a day or two then gradually come to a crash and burn once I sip on a tall non-fat hot chocolate at Starbucks.  Tragic.

     ...........  Well now this is embarrassing because now I really can't think of any silly little goals.  I guess the freshest one is my little chocolate goal.  The only other ones coming to mind involve the latest attempt to live up to my agencies wishes to shed a few... trim up.. and all that jazz.  Regardless -  I have set a goal.  A thought out, seemingly big - yet obtainable goal.

I,  Andrea O'Brien,  will be running a half-marathon.   This half marathon is set for either May or June of 2011.

... and I'm completely excited about it!!!!

How this came about?   My lovely boyfriend and roommate Chuck Norris challenged me to push myself and stray from my usual 10 and 1 running method.  I want to stop bulking up at the gym - my muscles are loud and proud and I want to tone them into beautiful long and lean muscles.  Chuck Norris - being the Kinesiology Degree holder and avid runner that he is, suggested that I try running and sustaining a run that brought me to about 65% of my maximum heart rate and then run at that pace for 45 minutes or more.   This doesn't sound that great - but it is because apparently you have two types of ways that your muscles work... slow ticking and fast ticking.  This really makes minimal sense to me - but basically for short spurts and heavy living you use your fast ticking muscles - which in turn build bigger muscles.  Your body uses fast ticking muscles (i almost typed musicals there.. oops) while running shorter distances.  That distance barrier between long and short bridges somewhere in the 30-45 minute range.  In that range - your body starts to get into a pace and your slow ticking muscles turn on.  This muscles help you to maintain your pace and blah diddy technical blah blah resulting in LEAN MUSCLE MASS.

Basically I thought I could never run more than a half hour max.  But being the stubborn butt that I am - I went to the gym that evening and hopped on a treadmill.  I have never run longer than 25 minutes on a treadmill in my LIFE due to boredom and general wanting to get offness.

That night I ran for an hour straight without stopping... and when I finished... I wanted to go further.

I got off the treadmill filled with this giddyness that I can only describe as pride and hope all mixed together in this bubble of 'omg I did it'-ness.

That night was a week ago.  I have since logged 4 and a half hours on the treadmill.  I do plan to increase that time gradually as I start to run further in my current hour duration.

This is a picture of me basking in my feel good hour long glory.  I will probably post a few more pics along the way.  I really don't know what this journey will bring... and how I will change throughout it.  I know that I am open to change - and ready for a lifestyle alteration.  This is not only a challenge for my body - but for my heart (in all of it's flesh beating emotional glory).

I invite whoever would like to join me on this journey into my blog world.  Your words - advice.. recipes.. running routes... anything - is a welcome suggestion.

4 1/2 hours.   30 Km.    Two Blisters.   Hope.

-Andrea