Training Day 1

Well, fitness goals being what they are (nebulous; I try to hit the Y four times a week and honestly, I'm too easy on myself), I gave myself two goals to achieve with deadlines. The first: Lose 10 lbs by the end of the month, which I think I'm sorta behind on having only lost three pounds since the first (and those are debatable since my weight fluctuates anyway). The second: Run the Sound to Narrows on June 10.

Luckily, the downtown Y is doing training for that race, and I found a race partner in Michelle Rogers-Moore (yes, Bond fans, her real name) at work. She's a runner who hasn't in a while, I'm a non-runner who could use some discipline. We ran on similar levels at our first official session today. That is, punked out about 2/3rds through the 3-mile run and had to be given an alternate, shorter route back to the Y. And most of the first 2/3rds were downhill. We are punks.

There were only five runners; me and Michelle, the running trainer guy Ron and two other runners who look like they run before breakfast and take a quick jog at lunch and maybe throw in eine kleine nacht running for the hell of it. We will all be given distances to train on during the week through email. Woo hoo.

We looked a little dorky running as a pack through town. I suggested that we dress up as superheroes to run each week. I think that might make us look like we have a sense of purpose — short-term purpose, that is — as we scoot through town.

I think I will grow to love downtown Tacoma as I run through it each week. Today we did the "around the world run," as it's known at the downtown Y, because it goes down from market to Thea Foss Park (where there is a big globe, hence "Around the World") and across towards the Museum of Glass and UW Tacoma (although we wusses took the stairs on the bridge up to Pacific Avenue and missed the glories of the Bridge of Glass). I think this is a great way to get to know the city. Also, there is a pho place on the way home, so after a big long run I can jump in and get Vietnamese Pho or Bun. Also I learned there is a new pub in my neighborhood that only looks slightly shady — just how I like 'em.

Yep, this is a good thing, training.