Sand in hair, salt in shoes

It seems out-of-sync to be writing about my running. I'm totally beginning writing, but I've actually managed to maintain running as a regular part of my life for a year and a half. Believe me, I don't feel like an old hand at running at all. I don't feel fast. No races, no PRs, no clue. All I know is that I get up early in the morning and head over to the lakefront path and run.

The only real quantifiable signs of progress are revealed to me in how much I [don't] weigh now, and what my tech-geek gadgets have been telling me. They say I'm maintaining a decent pace, and I'm not working hard to do it. Believe me, they weren't always this nice to me. They've taught me important things, though. Be patient, take your time, positive change will occur. Seems totally obvious in hindsight, but when I was starting out it all seemed so impossible.

Yesterday I ran 18.5 miles out there in the beautiful sunny (still cold!) day that we had here in Chicago. Jeez - that's *definitely* a personal best. I've *never* done that before, and it was tough. Start to finish clocked in at 3:24, including a totally convenient port-a-potty stop by Belmont Harbor at mile 8.5. I also included walking breaks, to allow me to suck down this recently new-to-me gel fuel stuff (totally works). I don't care about the time, though - I'm pretty stoked I was just able to finish and still walk (and go out for some music and Guiness)! I mean, less than two years ago I couldn't do 10% of that. Heck, even less time ago, but that's another story.

I'm reasonably convinced I'm going about marathon training (March 4 in LA is looming) all wrong, but friends and people more experienced than I am are only encouraging me and telling me I'm definitely capable. I'm just too scared to go look online at training programs, only to avoid a total sense of "I'm definitely screwed." I think in some ways I have to learn things the hard way, by having my head yanked out of the sand.

I never intended to complete anything when I started running. My motivation was merely to see if I could actually do it with some intelligence (start slow, build up, etc.) - essentially make it stick - and of course improve my health. One step at a time, I guess, and I'll learn from each one.