How Did I Find the Dedication to Train for a Marathon? By Realizing I Am Too Lazy to Walk 100 Meters to Get to a Gym.

On January 1st I asked for some advice on what gym I should join.  I knew I wanted to get back into shape – and I wanted to train for a long race.  I didn’t know if it would be a 10K or a half Marathon – I just knew I needed to get running. 

Luckily I know myself – and I know how lazy I am.  I would only run if it were easy. 

I teach a religion class every morning and then I have a break before work starts.  I knew I would only exercise during that break if it were easy.

I debated using the University gym down the street – but I knew I’d never make it.  I refuse to pay $200 for the parking pass, and if I had to walk over 100 meters to get to the gym – I wouldn’t do it.  (This is when friends said to me - “you’re training to run a 13 mile race but you won’t walk 100 meters?”)

CORRECT.

I then looked at the Hospital’s gym – it was gorgeous and amazing with every amenity I could ever want: treadmills, a track, classes, a pool and sauna, etc… – but the parking lot was still too far from the gym and it cost too much.

Then I found Anytime Fitness.  It was small and dinky with tiny bathrooms, only 2 showers, and very few channels on the TV.  No pool, no amazing equipment. 

AND it was only one mile from where I teach my morning class.  I could park 10 feet from the gym door and I could be running on a treadmill 30 seconds after parking my car.

What was the result?

That first week I ran 3 miles.

The next week I ran 9. 

I realized that I still like running and I can run a really long distance.  I just hate getting READY to work out.  Now, that part was easy.

The next week I ran 18 miles.  I had decided to train for a full marathon: 26 miles.

I have now scheduled my workouts for the next 6 months.  I take 3 days off per week.  I have cross training days and recovery days.  I’m still me - I want time off.  

But I have no doubt I’ll keep training for the next 5 months and I’ll run that marathon, because I'm loving my daily schedule.

Running a Marathon may be the hardest physical feat I ever complete - and the only reason I believe I can do it… is because I made it easy.