A blue and yellow dream

Ok, this is going to be one of those "got to write it down so I stop obsessing in my head" posts. I am going to start out by being blunt. I am fat. I have weight on my body that needs to go away. I have struggled with it my whole life but it got worse in my late 20s. Oddly enough ,I gained the bulk of my weight when they put me on a medicine for depression in college. ( Please, ask me if that helped my depression...) 

There, I said it. Now that we have addressed that elephant in the room I will get to the point of this post. Those of you who have read my other posts ( if you haven't then you should),  or know me personally, know that a year ago I laced up my shoes and set out to run. 

My first goal was exactly that. Run. Run a mile without dying. It took time, but I can now . I've improved my time, over the last 11 months, from 30+ minutes per mile, with no running to 14.30 minutes per mile ,with minimal walking. 

I moved on to goal 2. Complete a 5k in under an hour. I accomplished that November 2018. I ran the Turkey Trot, here in Sumter, for Thanksgiving.  My cousin Katy stayed with me. We finished in 50 minutes.  ( no I didnt run the whole thing. I run/walk. In the words of our Lord, "Judge not.") 

Goal 3 was bigger. I wanted to run at least a 5k every month for a year. Some have been virtual, some have been a 10k. There is even a 15K in there. Some months I have completed more than one race but I have 11 medals right now. I get number 12 in September.  I will have done it. Right now, my 5k PR (personal record) is 42:18. I hope to beat that in September.  

Goal 4 is in place. October 2019 I will run my 1st HALF MARATHON!! (That is 13.1 miles)  I have my 2ed scheduled for November.  Goal 4 is to run a half marathon a month, for a year. 

I have another goal. A long term goal, but hopefully a "sooner rather than later" goal.

**DRUMROLL**

I WILL RUN THE BOSTON MARATHON 

 26.2 iconic and historic miles. I will hear the scream tunnel. I will defeat heartbreak hill. I will make that famous last turn and I will cross the finish line. 

I will wear that finisher medal with more pride than I can imagine. 

I may be fat, but you know what guys and gals???? That doesn't matter. Running doesn't care what size you are. I may still be overweight on that amazing day but I dont care. I do not have to be a size 0 to fit into that medal. 

Will I be smaller? Sure. Will I be healthier? Inevitably.  Will I be "at goal"? Heck yeah! Because my goal is Boston. Not a number on a scale. 

There is hard work ahead. There is training to do and qualifications to be met. I want to BQ ( Boston Qualify). That has to be done on a certified marathon course.  This year's time for women my age is an average pace of 8:30 or less to qualify. There are charities that will sponsor me at a slower time, so I can still run it without a BQ, but I want to qualify! I have to apply and be accepted once I BQ. 

Intimidating right??? Yeah, but I dont care. I am Boston bound. I am determined.  I will succeed!!