you can run, you can run, you can run

day 1; really, all things considered, not too shabby. i never claimed to be in great shape. and i'm in WAY better shape than i was at the beginning of the year!

i cranked out 2 miles relatively easy and i'm sure could've done at least a half mile more if my knee didn't hurt so badly. i was starting to feel very mildy nauseated but it was nothing i couldn't push through for awhile if it weren't for the pain in my knee. after the 2 jogging, i walked .5 and then tried to run another .5 but didn't quite make it all the way because the shooting pain in my knee. i did about 3.5 all together in 40 minutes.

on the one hand i'm really irritated that my knee is hurting so badly. i wanted to get some kind of idea on just how much i could do right now at the beginning of my training. on the other hand, knowing my personality i would most likely have pushed myself almost to the wall to prove something to myself and because i'm impatient and would've ended up paying for it probably for the rest of the week.

the good news is, i'm almost certain that the pain i'm experiencing in my knee is from folding up my right leg before i sit down and sitting on it. that would definitely explain the "tweaked" sensation in the joint. so now, i just need to pay better attention before i sit down because it's become such a strong habit of mine.

with about 36 weeks (i think i counted right) until the event i've got plenty of time to do this properly and gradually. i've decided to try to run at least 3 times a week and add 1/2 mile of consecutive running each week. this week i've started at 2 so next week i will aim for 2.5. If i can keep up this pace I will even be ready for the local half marathon in november, which i'm contemplating doing.

the fact is, i'm not crazy enough to think i will be able to run 13 miles straight through. . .but i can train like i will, right? my goal is to run 2/3 (or about 8.75 mi.) of it (not necessarily straight through), and average a 12 minute mile. these goals are subject to change, though i'm pretty certain i've set them fairly conservatively so if i do hopefully it will be for more ambitious ones.