clocked in at 28'++"

For someone who's quit smoking rather recently, the path to cold turkey-dom was a random as the decision to manage it by upping my running levels. Running was the no-brainer among my cardio-selection pool of boxing, pole-dancing, wall-climbing et al. To ascertain I would never light up again. I told myself some 60 days ago that I would participate in a marathon where my sole goal was to do the entire task running.


Let me tell you that the path to righteousness never came easy. The last few years I had started to hate the smell and taste of nicotine but couldn't get it out of my system. Now and then I still do think about that fag I would not ever puff. End of the day I realise I need my lungs to bring me closer to my goal of going below the above-mentioned personal record. So, maybe the best thing is to look ahead and move forward.  


A decade ago I had already been a running enthusiast, doing as much as 5 miles on a good day.  As I ran my first marathon today, I couldn't help but think how much more I would've accomplished if I stuck to my guns and kept at it.  It would have been a decade of running...and a decade of NOT smoking.


Today I woke up at 4:15a.m. and my friend Ian picked me up.  We headed to the Fort and I was surprised by how many people were up and about by half five in the morning on a Sunday.


I ran the 5K.  Originally I had wanted to do the 10K, tough call I had to make. To measure if I could properly finish a 10K or run the entire 5.  End of the day, I decided on the latter.  The route today, at least to a newbie like me was not easy.  It was a bit of an up and down hill climb.


I clocked in 28 something minutes.  Not bad for someone who had less than 3 hours rest and had her visitor whilst completing her 5k.
I did experience shortness of breath which even my bud Ian noticed right away.  I blame it on my love for nicotine.  And after the experience today I can clearly see how much more I can do if I keep at running and keep at quitting (smokes i mean).


All I can think of now is getting a Garmin, a new pair of running shoes and stuff. Oh well.