Steps, big and small

Sunday mornings are such a treat.  Coffee, computer and time.  Sweet, sweet time.  No rushing out the door.  No lunches to make or permission slips to sign.  Weekday mornings are a flurry of activity.  Saturday mornings are a bit of a flurry as well with a teenager who has a job and dance lessons for almost everyone else.  Sunday mornings are when all the dust settles.  Sure there's Mass but 10:30 seems so blessedly late when compared to other mornings.

Last Sunday I was reading one of my favorite Mom blogs and she mentioned a program she had started which included a link.  I was intrigued and followed it.  The program is called Couch to 5K.  It didn't take me long to decide this is just what I have been looking for.  My brother-in-law shared a website called Zen Habits as part of his New Years' resolutions.  It is a great blog about forming habits slowly and thoughtfully.  I am really enjoying it.  So far, however, I have been enjoying the IDEA of starting a new habit but haven't had the courage to actually pinpoint something and start.  Well, Couch to 5K was just what I needed.  It follows the principals of Zen Habits, forming the running habit slowly.  The plan is all laid out for you so there is no thinking about it which for me leads to also thinking about NOT doing it.  There is an app on my phone that tells me what to do every step of the way.  DING!  Begin warm-up now.  DING!  Begin walking now.  DING!  Begin running now.  It's fabulous.  The best part is I convinced my 14-year-old to do it with me.  Mom-Daughter time and getting into shape.  Who could ask for more?  Well, me...

I decided to take this plan a few steps- well, miles actually- further.  I had been inspired by a friend's post on Facebook about her participation in the Disney Princess Half-Marathon.  I liked the IDEA of having a goal, especially a fitness one and seeing it to completion but had no idea how to even begin.  The Couch to 5K program has all the steps to get you first to 5K then to 10K then half-marathon.  So, we have set our sights on participating next February.  It's just shy of a year away, a very doable goal.  Yet, it isn't so far off as to lack real motivation.  Today is day 3, which sounds so silly but as the saying goes,

 The journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step.

Now if only I could find the Couch to Novel website with mobile app that walks me through writing a book...

Dina