A little over a year ago I had a “Come to Jesus” moment with the scale when I finally admitted how far my health had fallen and how high my weight had soared.  So did what hundreds of Americans do every New Years Day, just a few weeks late: I joined a gym.  And then I actually went. = )

The goal from the beginning was all about weight loss, with the idea that there would be side benefits such as self-confidence, nicer clothes, the ability to sit in roller coaster seats, and less fear about so many social situations.  The completely unexpected effect was that after a few months, it actually became a normal part of my life and something I choose to schedule other commitments around.  But being a perfectionist at times, I needed something to shoot for other than the numbers on the scale which just don’t change as often as I want them to, so I started entering some races over the summer.  I had no expectations I would win, but I wanted to finish.  And then I wanted to finish by jogging the whole thing.  And now I want to run.

In two weeks I’ll be taking part in my first 5K of 2011: The Shamrock Run.  My goal for this run will be 35 minutes, or about 11 minute miles.  I hope, by the end of the season in December, to be closer to my 30 minute goal.

So why is this history lesson in a blog all about the future?  Because running is a part of my future, though the me of a year ago would have never imagined it.  This summer I am scheduled for three 5Ks, 2 10Ks, 1 quarter marathon, and 1 half marathon (with hopes of another one if I get randomly selected in the ballot this Friday).  And I’m hoping to sign up for another three or four in the fall.  But the big goal will be the Portland Marathon in October 2012.  For a run like that, to do it well, I’ll need to train and maybe even join one of the Saturday morning running groups to make sure I can run it and not just hop into the nearest taxi.  So that is an August 2011 goal: to start preparing for a marathon.

(The memory I have of my 6th grade self just dropped her jaw to the floor so hard it bounced. )