It begins, but will it end?

So for years I've wanted to run a marathon, to have the dedication to train properly, to get fitter and feel better, plus the feeling of accomplishment after having run 26.2 miles for no real reason.

Lately I've not been feeling great, a little homesick perhaps, a little down in the mouth about not getting everywhere I'd planned in my travels. I've started to buck up my ideas however, I've stopped drinking for June (it's the 4th now and I've not even been tempted) though I realise that in the same way as smokers need a distraction, I'm going to be bored sideways if I don't replace those hours after work and before bed with something. Dope is not the answer, I'm not in the country long enough to start a band, so why not exercise.

I don't have a bike, nor do I want to buy one, so running is a possible solution. I've a bad knee, but some pretty good gutties from 11 years ago that should do for the impact. Basically it's a free way of filling the time away, making me a little fitter and giving me some direction for the next six months.

Why six months? Well I'm glad you asked. I leave Australia on the 24th of August, get to Scotland for six weeks or so before heading to Vancouver for a while. I've now started plans to meet with some dear friends in Las Vegas in May, plus I originally planned to go to SxSW in March before I started the trip - so now I'm feeling motivated I'm putting together something I've needed for a long time. A plan.

The plan is to stay in Vancouver until the end of Febuary, getting a cool decent job or at least something a bit different at the Winter Olympics, then to fly to Austin for SxSW in the middle of March, get to Vegas for the start of May then...well I don't know. The Rockies for the summer if I've the money, if not I'll be back to work in Canada to save up some cash for some other damn fool adventure. Maybe I'll go to South America with Chris and Jo as once suggested, who knows. What I do know is that I've got a plan for the next twelve months.

SO WHY SIX MONTHS?

The training program I've found for a beginner to run a marathon takes 26 weeks. That's six months. That's exactly the period of time between now and the Seattle Marathon, which is only 140 miles from Vancouver, which is nothing these days.

So is it fate, is it a whim, is this the turning point for a fat bastard to achieve a life's ambition. I can do, but will I? I expect to keep this journal and tell of the good times and bad. Apparently it takes three weeks before the running becomes fun.

Is this a personal test that I'll take seriously or just blow off when I give up claiming it was a silly idea? Is that why I'm not telling anyone I'm thinking about trying, and let's be clear, this is a test, it'll be a while before I book into the marathon - partially it's dependant on my Canadian work visa, I can't stay until the end of Nov without cash coming in. Well I probably could, but it's another out.

Last night I completed my first run, about four miles; running for one song on my iPod walking the next. It nearly killed me coming back up the hill on Darlinghurst Road.

This is roughly the route I did, except I didn't do the loop on the bottom left, can't get rid of that on the map.

No Snickering!

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