OK. Serious doubt has started to creep in.
Part of it (a lot of it...hell, most of it) is my own fault. I fell seriously out of training last week and it's been brutal trying to play catch up. I ran once over the course of a week and it was only three miles using a 2-8 clock (two minutes running, eight minutes walking). I was doing well. Did five miles a few weeks ago, was working out with my Kinect before runs, and totally found my groove.
Now, not so much. Tried to do three miles on a 3-7 clock Sunday and had to go back to 2-8. Same thing today (of course, eating a buttload of Cajun rice sans meat could have been an issue. I'll get to that in a minute). My fallen arch in my left foot has begun bothering me to the point I had to walk the remainder of my three miles today. Only 46 days to go before the half-marathon and I may be in worse shape than I was when I started.
Alright, that's probably not possible, but I'm feeling kinda screwed at the moment. So, as I tend to do when I've fallen in a hole and need to catch up, I do something that will ostensibly put me on the right track. For example, before I even thought about researching what goes into training for a long distance run, I signed up for it and dropped the 50 bucks on the registration figuring that once I paid for it, my cheapness would top my laziness. Well, that kinda worked, so now I'm doing something else.
I have decided I'm going to use this run as a vehicle to raise money for a great cause. My dad, Ed Kerns, is a cancer survivor. Three years ago next week, he underwent surgery for throat cancer and now speaks with the aid of a mechanical larynx. My goal is to raise $1,000 by March 26, money that will be donated to the Cancer Support Community of Greater St. Louis. I spoke with them earlier today and am touring their facilities on Friday. What's great about this group is they provide free services to cancer patients and their families that not only help the physical aspects of the disease, but the mental and spiritual. I should have a site set up for donations in the next day or so. Obviously, during the run, I'm going to wear a shirt supporting the organization, but I'll sell other parts of my body for sponsorship. Make me an offer and I'll put your business, phone number, website, et. al., somewhere on my body. And will provide photos.
Now, about the no-meat thing. One hundred six hours ago, I became a vegan. Well, I started a vegan diet, anyway. I decided to do it for a week after watching Oprah with the wife. You can tell I really didn't think it through since I got to have a meatless Super Bowl, but I have to say, it's actually worked pretty well. I feel good, I've lost a couple pounds and I've discovered some foods that I wouldn't have eaten before. Nothing too wacky, just some soups and whatnot.
My little hippie ordeal ends Friday at Noon, but the wife and I have decided to eat vegan for Lent. She'll do it without bitching because a) she was a vegetarian for four-and-a-half years, and (b) she won't complain because it'll make my whining look that much more pathetic. But I figure, this can only be for the best. I obviously need the boost to my health and definitely need to lose some pounds.
Well anycrap, there's my blog. I'll be writing more as I go along. It's cathartic and the blogging ties in with the training. I find if I write about it, I'm more apt to go out and do it. I'll leave you with this parting epiphany that I recently received: I have re-discovered an important fact that I had forgotten when I ran cross country in high school. The idea of being a runner is far more glamorous than the reality of it.
Ta.
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