I waddle on...

So I love reading blogs so I thought I would write my own. Reading them consumes my time. I don't know why I read other people's stories, some I may never meet & some I might see one day, but it is entertaining and reminds me that other people out there, somewhere - even if just in cyber space, might be going through something similar to me. So here I go - my attempt at my own blog.

I have lived in track town since 2002. I was never a runner - ever. I tried to run track in middle school but after one race -the 400 which I really enjoyed, I was told by a loved one (bless your heart for your honesty :) ) that I run like a duck. Enter the title, waddle on. And conveniently, I came to a town and went to college where the mascot is also a duck. Oh the irony to watch the UO Duck waddle along his life every weekend during football season and at various events during the year. So here is my blog to document my attempt to become a runner, waddling along my merry way along the trails and streets of Eugene. Not only am I blessed to apparently "waddle", I have the shortest legs of any person I've met. I lovingly nicknamed myself the oompa loompa. Pants are always too long. I constantly had a terrible wedgie in gymnastics when I was little because those one piece leotards are not meant for girls with long torsos. I can stand next to you and be 4 inches shorter, sit down next to you or kneel at church and look like I should be 5 inches taller.

I started running about 4 months ago. Nothing ambitous, just a little 2 mile loop around my neighborhood. I had the goal of running a 5k by October. Talk about a goal. I got up where the 2 miles were comfortable and didn't feel like enough... so I started running 3, then 4 and stopped there. I got comfortable there and kept going to 5 and then 6. I decided I wouldn't be satisfied with a 5k because I can run those any day and thought I want to run a marathon. So I kept running those 5 and 6 milers, wondering how I was ever going to get to 26. Enter Joe Henderson's running group. Joe is an amazing man and has taken many first time marathoners across the finish line. I emailed with him and asked about his group, currently training for the Portland marathon or the Royal Victoria full or half. I decided to run with them one wknd and pushed it from a previous longest run ever of 6 miles to a 9 miler with the group. WOW. Group dynamics do amazing things for the mind and spirit. I never thought I could run 9 miles until I did that day with the group. Thanks to Lone Wolf Runner for stepping back his pace for the day and talking to me the whole 9 miles. I only ran with the group that 1 day because I have been out of town every weekend since then. I will not join his group for this round of races because I wont be around to enjoy and full utilize all of the benefits of his group each weekend. Maybe next race.

So I am off on my own attempting a modified Hal Higdon program - I think I want to run the Run Like Hell - Portland event in October. Maybe the half, maybe just the 10k. I am planning on the PDX Race for the Cure and maybe the Run the Dam 9 miler. I really want to do the RnR Las Vegas in December. I may have convinced a good friend and fellow new runner to hopefully run that with me. I am torn on the full or the half... We will see how training goes. I know I can do half - should I push myself to do the full...