You can run a marathon. I promise!

If you notice in my list of "thing to manifest in 2009" it doesn't say anything about running a marathon; however, I ran 1 marathon and 2 half marathons in 2009.

It all started when I saw an ad in our local health magazine advertising a marathon training group which is run/walk. I had just ran a 10 mile race with a friend - Blessing of the Fleet in Narragansett, RI - in which we did a run/walk method, and I really enjoyed myself. Not only did I finish 10 miles with a smile on my face, but I surpassed any distance I had ever run.

I knew training for a marathon shouldn't be a solo adventure. I would need a training group to stay motivated to finish a 26.2 mile race. So in September 2008, I joined a Jeff Galloway marathon training group which ran from Fleet Feet Sarasota every Saturday morning.

I got so much more out of the experience than crossing the finish line at the Disney Marathon in January 2009, I gained many new friends, two of which I consider very close now, and I gained a new perspective about how to achieve things I never once thought possible.

I even made the local news for the Sarasota Marathon (which I ended up doing the half since I had injured myself. )

I am not one of those people who said "one day I want to run a marathon." In fact, I still can't believe I ran one. But I did. And you can too.

What do you have to lose... besides some lbs? You should look into joining a training group now. Marathon season is around the corner, so start training now so you will be ready for the 2010 marathons from January to May.

live well,
carolyn