If you want to be a runner, you have to run.

I hate to exercise. I've heard again and again how it gets better after a while the more in-shape you are, you get an endorphin rush, a natural high, etc. What a load of crap. I have always hated exercising and it never gets any easier. But that's not really what I wanted to write about today, I just had to get that out up front.

Ok, so a few years ago I read somewhere that when you complete a marathon you get a medal no matter what. Whether you're first or 397th, if you ran it in two hours or walked it in six hours, if you cross the finish line, you get a big fat medal. I thought, "That's the sport for me." Of course, I then discovered that a marathon is 26.2 miles and my brief fantasy of being a runner died an early death. However, I did take up the sport long enough to finish a 5k and get a t-shirt and that felt pretty awesome. I especially liked pinning the number to my front. "Look Ma, I'm an athlete!"

Fast forward to the present and here I am again wanting to get healthy. I know that exercise has to be a part of my life; good food choices are not enough to make real change. Besides, I still want a medal. So today I started running again and yes, it sucked. Nonetheless, I did it. I am following a training program called Couch to 5k and I AM going to run a 5k race when it's over. The end of the program happens to correspond with Winter Solstice and Eugene happens to have a race that day. I will be there, I will finish, and I will get my damn t-shirt. Then I'll think about that medal.

Cool Running Couch to 5K Running Plan