Training

I'm still in non-official training mode for walking the Flying Pig Half-Marathon in May. While I've been walking three times a week since the beginning of the year, next week will be the official beginning of the 14 week training schedule leading up to the half-marathon.
The first week is not too hard. I start out by walking three miles on two days and then four miles on Saturday. Each week I will walk three or four miles two days a week and then Saturdays are the long days.
In looking at the schedule, the first few weeks look okay. It's when I look at week eight and it says that I have to walk eight miles on Saturday of that week that I feel a bit overwhelmed. I don't think I have ever walked eight miles all at the same time before in my life. It's weird because while I know six miles and seven miles will be hard, eight miles sounds scary to me. I am not sure if I can do it. I wonder what walking that far will feel like. I also think that if eight miles sounds like a lot, how in the world am I ever going to walk 13.1 miles?
I defintely know I can't do it on my own. I know that I need the support of my friend Karen and my sister Stacey. I know I need the encouragement of others around me.
Most of all, I know I will need God's help to do more than just get through the half-marathon. I want to not just survive or endure but to thrive. I want this to be more than just a way to get physical exercise but also I want this to be a spiritual exercise in my life. I know that as I walk, I will have the opportunity to pray and offer praise to God. Having an iPod has already made a huge difference. I have it loaded with several praise and worship songs and I catch myself singing out loud as I walk quite often.
I certainly could use your prayers as I continue in my half-marathon preparation. I know I will need the spiritual support in order to accomplish what seems like an overwhelming goal.
Thanks for being a part of my journey!