I Got This...I Think.

On January 19, 2013 I started the Shamrock'n Half Marathon training. 
Oh. My. God. 
Ive been involved the learning-to-run program for a year now, so I am familiar with the program, I know quite a few people and coaches. 
This is a whole new ballpark. 

First day, I was astounded, literally astounded at how many people showed up.  In the groups I'm used to the big groups are about 60 participants.  While I don't know exactly how many I'd gauge that there are well over 100 people in this group.  Maybe even 150+.  So intimidation factor #1, the sheer size of the group. 

Intimidation factor #2, is naturally the early morning cold.  First Saturday, I noticed the pavement while doing some warm ups had a thin layer of ice on it.  Fabulous! There's a sure fire way to slip and fall right on my ass.  The cold was pretty severe and while y'all know I prefer the cold to the hot, this was tough.  Wearing Capri workout pants instead of my usual shorts, gloves and a hat, I was still numb with cold.  Yikes!

Intimidation factor #3, the others.  Yes, I know I know...don't compare yourself to others.  I fear this concept will take me years to master.  It's pretty obvious there are quite a few really experienced runners in this group.  I'm grateful that it's broken up into 4 groups depending on level.  But still....damn, I feel like I'm beginning all over again.  Frustrating, but eh, whatever.  Too late to back out now.  I'll do what I do...purge forward with reckless drive and just do it. 

Intimidation factor #4,  the fact that I took a rather long break between Thanksgiving and New Years is haunting me.  While speaking to another participant, she mentioned she too took a long break of about 3 months.  " Well, I was in a car accident...." yeah, I wanted to stop listening here, but I didn't. 
" My back was really out of whack with injuries, sooo"  Yeah, I can relate...not.  Yeah I got nothing here.  I was lazy & tired.  That's about it. 
But that being said, yesterday was our longest thus far, 4 miles.  I did it.  The beginning was brutal, as it always is, but after the 1.5 mile warm up, it got easier and easier.  So I'm actually looking forward to the longer mileage as I know I'm a slow, slow starter, but then I can kick it up. 

So there it is...all the reasons I'm intimidated as hell over this training.  But as I've already registered for the Half Marathon, I've got no choices now.  I'm purging forward.  It's things like this that give me courage, give me confidence, to over come it all means I'm stronger than I thought.