In The Beginning

I've decided I need a goal in order to get myself into shape and stay that way.

One would think that good health and the admiring glances of others would be enough to keep me away from the Cheeto's cheese puffs, but trial and error (a lot of error) has proven this hypothesis to be incorrect, at least where I am concerned.

Since my body tends to lose a lot of weight when I run, it occurs to me that this would be the best way to shed the lard. But I hate to run.

Only that isn't really true. I hate to run in place, or around block on the sidewalk, but running through the countryside is always pleasant.

At least for the first four hundred yards. After that I find that laying on the ground gasping for each throat-burning breath while vultures beginning to make lazy circles over me isn't much fun. So I tend to avoid running.

But now I have a goal! I want to run the marathon from Marathon to Athens in November. This November may be a bit ambitious, but by next November (2010) for sure!

I plan to chronicle this journey here, mostly for myself and any poor souls with nothing better to do than read this.

This is the week I begin.