How About YOUR Journey?

For a little over a year, I consistently posted updates on my Couch-to-Marathon Journey, and in the context of the blog's name, all of those posts made perfect sense; however, since completing that first 26.2-mile run this past January, coming back to the blog has been less consistent and has lacked the "pull" that was oh so necessary as I prepared for January 12, 2014. I have been thinking about this a lot over the last few weeks, and I have come to realize that sharing my journey from the couch to that first marathon has run its course (no pun intended...well, maybe a little bit). Yes, I am still running (and loving it); and yes, this morning, I just started Week Two of my training cycle for the Chicago Marathon.

But the need to tell all of you about it seems more grounded in narcissism rather than in a need for accountability. Leading up to the Disney Marathon, I shared with you my weight loss progress not to show you how terrific I was but rather to keep myself on track...you and this blog were the Weight Watchers' meetings where I would reveal my weight every week. And even though I actually gained back a few pounds (okay...six pounds) after the marathon, that excess weight is starting to shed again (two have already disappeared) as my more rigorous training schedule is kicking in. Last year's experience tells me that I'll reach my "marathon weight" of 175 again in the next month or two...and since I'm running with more efficiency and speeding up a little bit, I'm really not that worried about my weight any longer. I'm still aware of it, but it certainly takes a back seat to my becoming a more efficient marathoner.

I also don't feel it's necessary any longer to map out for you my weekly training schedule because, again, my reason for doing so in the past was to establish the accountability, to ensure that I would keep going. Now, after the awesome feeling of crossing that Finish Line back in January, I have absolutely no desire to stop; and I have raised the bar and have challenged myself to cross that Finish Line in a lot less time than I did earlier this year.

So now that I've "been there done that" when it comes to sharing the progress of losing weight, training for, overcoming inevitable nagging injuries leading up to, and completing my first marathon, where do I go from here? And what does this blog become?

I think, more than anything, I'd like to start hearing from my readers. I've told you to "enjoy your journey" time and time again...but now I'd like to start hearing about that journey. I'd like to know where you are running, why you are running, and where you'd like it to take you. So if you have time, tell me these things in the comments...

1. From couch to ultra marathon, where would you say you are right at this moment? Getting off the couch? Changing your diet? Running / Walking for the first time (or again)? Training for a race?
2. Where are you heading? Is it a weight loss goal? Do you want to run a 5K? A Full Marathon? Or do you just want to run a few miles a few times a week? What Finish Line - real of proverbial - is the next for you to cross? In short, what's your goal?

So don't leave me hanging...let me know where you are and where you're heading...and who knows? I just might have to feature you in a future blog post. But at the very least, my other readers and I will cheer you on.

So enjoy your journey...and make it that much more fun by bringing us along!