"This is just the beginning."

Hell month is over, at last. I think there is one of those jobs that I won't be taking again, for many reasons. But at least now I can get a decent amount of sleep and get my game on.

Yesterday was the Adidas 4-mile run. I woke up too late and didn't get any warm-up in - got to the start line just as the horn sounded. And as I had a teaching commitment right after, I just did the four and called it a day.

Tough run. Not terrible, not even "rough"; just...a real workout. I needed it a lot. But it kicked my ass and showed me plainly that I am now officially Out Of Shape.

I walked a little bit - far less than I feared I'd have to - and the last mile was continuous and quite good. Overall time was 43:19. Again, not stellar (I should be able to notch a 36:00 for this distance), but at least I'm under the 11 min/mile bar for the time being.

Legs felt good. Lungs were a bit limiting - but mostly I'm just out of shape. Fat and flabby, that's me!

At the beginning of the run, I heard someone should "Go Brooklyn!" I'm not sure who it was (Uptown Girl?) or if they were cheering for me or not, but it was a bit of a boost. Hell, riding on that alone, I made it up Cat Hill without walking!

Two-thirds done and I hear some girls chatting behind me as they run. I'm thinking to myself about the NY Marathon (which I signed up for this weekend, finally and officially) and that I think I'll be following the beginner's plan again, though extend the schedule to include at least one 20-miler before the taper. At that moment, one of the girls says (appropo of I know not what), "This is just the beginning." Somehow, that phrase is sticking with me and is giving me the patience to tackle another long training season.

It is time to start getting up early in the mornings, get in 3 to 5 miles before heading for work - in short, to get my act together. It's been a long, slow, difficult winter and now I have the opportunity to take this sudden spring as a motivator.

If nothing else, I just want to finish the goddamn NY Marathon and be done with that distance for good. And now I have someone to beat to the finish line: Joan Rivers is planning on participating in the NY marathon!

Peace.