I am a penguin

So this is my first time blogging anything. I don't usually divulge much to people. I'm a pretty private person. But I'm intrigued by this blogging thing. I can't imagine anyone wanting to read this but writing it might be fun.

The main reason I want to try blogging is to chronicle my journey as a beginning runner. I have been running for about a year, and I'm hooked. I have run 3 races - a 5K, a 4 miler and a half marathon. I'm training for another half marathon at the end of July.

I started running as a gradual transition from walking and using the elliptical machine to lose weight. I had just had a baby (our second boy!) and was the heaviest I had ever been. I am not exactly lazy but I'm not the athletic type, and my brother still says he can't see me as a runner, but this is has been my salvation of sorts. I've lost 35 pounds, I feel great, and I feel like I have a life outside of my full time job and family (husband, two young sons and a high maintenance dog).

My husband has been wonderfully supportive. It helps that he is a runner as well. He's been running a little longer than I have and has a few marathons under his belt. He's a terrific stay at home dad, so he also views running as a very important part of his life. He loves that he can talk running with me and I don't zone out like I do when he starts talking fantasy football, baseball or whatever other fantasy sport he's doing....

OK so it's time to fess up. I'm slow - really slow. Just call me a penguin . It gets frustrating to watch all the other runners pass you by at the start. So frustrating that I start out at the back on the long runs with my training group. I just mutter under my breath "I'm a penguin. I'm a penguin."

I have to run slow because my lower legs hate me. They really do. I have increased my mileage since joining the training group, and I have also run more outside. There are a few others in my group that are at the same level, but I feel like since I've been running for a year and I felt good about my very first half marathon time (2:36), I should be able to better.

Daily Running Log: Rest day. I should be doing 5 miles but my calves hurt like crazy.