Training walk - 45min

Ok, so I went for my first training walk for my 10k. I needed to walk 45min, that's it. It wasn't a physically hard walk but it did feel a little bit long... more because I just don't usually walk that long with no destination. However, once I got going it wasn't so bad and the music was good so that helps.

I did learn a few things on this walk. Number 1 lesson - BRING WATER!! Geesh! I totally forgot to bring water and boy was I sorry. There were points where I even thought about going through the many (I mean MANY - there must have been one every 50 feet or so!) recycle bins on the MRC campus to see if there were water bottles with something left in them. I was so thirsty. At the end of my walk though I did learn that there is at least one open door to the college so I can go there for water next time and a bathroom - always good to know.

Secondly, I am going to have to figure out how tight to tie my shoes and see if there is something I can do so the bottom of my feet don't rub to much. I have orthotics and they help a bit but it still isn't perfect so I'll have to figure it out with trial and error.

here are my stats from my Nike + :
3.84k
45:33
11:50/k
486 cal

It's a good start. At 11:50/k it will take me just under 2h to complete a 10k, so I am on the right track to walk in less than 2 hours... things are looking good.

Earlier today I started to think about running next year and thought to myself, "What have I gotten myself in to??" But I stopped myself and told myself to focus on the current plan to walk a 10k and not to worry about 13 months from now. I need to focus on the little steps and not what seems like a huge leap of running a half marathon.

Sometimes I wish I was like some other people who 'fell' into running. One day they needed to take their workouts to the next level so they started running and then thought maybe they could do a race, a 5k say. I, on the other hand, have wanted to run since probably 2005 and decided I would take a 'Learn to Run' at the running room and couldn't keep up. I have been trying since then to run... I keep trying but I haven't really been sucessful. I've walked (but really would have rathered run) several 5k races. I am not the person that one day after working out for months realized that maybe I could run a 5k, I've been wanting to take the leap for years.

So what do I do after 'failing' to run a 5k time and time again? I sign up to run a half marathon - brilliant I KNOW! ;) I am not really beating myself up; I am more just realizing that somehow I am not happy with where I am at. I am not happy to walk a 5k. I WANT TO RUN!! So why not take up a HUGE goal and see if maybe finally I can figure out how to make this happen.

So that's what I am doing. I really don't want to walk 10k; I really want to run it but I am realizing one must learn to walk before one can learn to run. So off walking I will go. I'm ok with that. I can handle the babysteps if I know it will bring me to where I really want to be.... a half marathon in Iceland 13months from now.... that brings joy to my heart and that is what my 45min walk was all about today... I love it!

Babystepping my way to a half marathon,

Jocelyn