Annie:The view from Pikermi

Not long after Mae and I launched the Thanksgiving Project, The Faithful Mo ran her first marathon - THE marathon, from Marathon, Greece to Athens.

I was (and am still!) amazed by that tremendous accomplishment, and remember being inspired that, even though the road to a hundred-pound weight loss seemed impossible from where I sat at the time, Mo might have felt daunted by the road in front of her, too, in the beginning.

I began thinking about my weight loss as a marathon of my own - though obviously it's not really the same thing! But as challenges of commitment and focus go, this was about as a big an "ask" as I could think of making myself.

So this week, as I (finally!) hit my halfway mark, I wanted to see my progress on my marathon.

Mo - do you remember Pikermi at all? What's it like? How tired were you? Did the halfway mark charge you, or did you have any doubts at that point?

As for me, I'm pretty sure I'm going to make it to my finish line - though after the last 3 weeks of plateau, I'm not necessarily confident it'll happen by Thanksgiving. If it did, it would complete the narrative nicely - but this story is about so much more than that.

If it doesn't, I'll just keep running until it does. :o)

Mae: To run or not to run

A big "congratulations" to Annie's sister, who just completed a marathon and a major milestone. This is an amazing accomplishment by any standard, but even more so for someone like me who cannot even fathom what it must involve. And while I am in awe of this feat, I also have a cringe-y look on my face just thinking about it.

I'll admit it. I've never liked running and all of it's accoutrements: shin splints, sore arches, wrecked knees, achey lower back, etc. Yes, sure, there are many health benefits, and who am I, of all (out of shape) people, to dis it? I've never had a runner's um, structure and composition, and always found it very taxing. It's possible that I'd feel differently if I were actually capable of running without feeling like I'm going to die. I've scoured the medical literature on this and there are plenty of qualified professionals who say that the human body (and not just one type of body) is designed to run. Period. So, fat people, get over yourselves and quit yer whinin'! Right?

Well not exactly. I caught a news item on Daily Planet last week that discussed the results of a study from Quebec on the condition of marathon runners' hearts.  The study was provoked by the untimely deaths of a few marathon runners during their runs, and it turns out that not all runners are necessarily 'fit' to run these gruelling events. Marathon runners who train properly and who are in good health may experience some temporary and reversible tissue damage in the heart, but those who are not in good shape and who do not follow a proper training regime may not fare as well. Basically, running long distances when you're not ready/fit/prepared can have some pretty serious consequences. The Daily Planet host commented that an unfit person is physically capable of running 45 km (I must have heard that wrong, right?), but that doesn't necessarily mean that because they can, that it's not without risk to their cardiovascular health.

So the lesson in all of this is that if you're on your way to a healthier weight and improved overall health, incorporating exercise/running into your daily routine is important, but it's essential to do it right. I mentioned in a previous post that I'm getting a book on a walk-to-run training regime and I am doubling the weeks it suggests (16 instead of 8). At the end of 16 weeks, I won't be running marathons, but maybe 5 km. I suspect I'll be at that level for a while until I work up to the kind of stamina and hard-work required to run around Greece ; )

Annie: Inspiration

A few hours from now, my little sister will set off on her first full marathon - from Marathon, to Athens, Greece.

She's always been a runner, and has run a few half-marathons in the last few years; but she had made herself a promise years ago that she'd run a full one before she turned 40 (she even has a couple of years to spare!).

I always knew running a full marathon was an enormous accomplishment, but until following her training (as a listening ear, of course, not actually doing it!), I never fully appreciated what tremendous commitment is required over a long period of time, to build the physical and emotional stamina required to do it -- even for someone who was in excellent condition before starting to train.

Over the last two weeks, I've had my moments of weakness, when I've thought about doing the same thing I've done hundreds of times in the last 7 years: give up, eat some crap, skip the bike. But each time, I've thought about what my sister has had to do, and to give up, to get where she is right now: on the verge, literally, of living out a life-long dream.

It's been an enormous sacrifice, and it's also given her a tremendous sense of personal satisfaction and accomplishment.

And to me, it's an inspiration to keep going. My road over the next year is so far, far, far easier to travel than the one she will in the wee hours of tomorrow morning, halfway around the world. 

I wish I could be there for her tomorrow, when she crosses the finish line; but since I can't, I'll be here, in this very chair, watching for her bib number to cross on the race website. You can be sure I'll be bawling my eyes out with pride (and with relief for her poor feet!).

My finish line is far further in the future, but I have a feeling her inspiration will run alongside me every step of the way.

So to baby sister: run like the wind! And thanks.  : )