Baby, We Were Born to Run!

I have been in an exceptionally cruddy mood for the past two months, and I have no reason to be.  My students are great, I've been getting to see a lot of my family, and communication with John has been pretty steady. But for whatever reason, I'm in a funk. Time is passing so slowly and there's so much fun stuff coming down the pike in just a month or so.  Usually my favorite season, fall already seems like it has already lasted twice as long as the summer... and it only ends in December!

I'm a planner, so I've decided that I need to structure my life more to get out of my ridiculous slump. I've been letting things slide far too much-- normal, non-deployment Joanna would never let that happen. I am usually a force to be reckoned with (or at least, in my own, little world, that's how I am), and so that's where I need to be again. I've made a lousy choice in deciding this year to be my off year. 

Tomorrow, I'm starting with exercising. I'm going to get off my flabby butt and train for the next half-marathon. I don't think I'll ever run a full marathon. After walking the half, I just could not imagine doing double the distance. But a half is nothing to sneeze at.  And so, I'm going to train. By my birthday, I'll be able to run two-and-a-half miles consecutively at a 10-minute-mile clip. By Christmas, I want to be able to run five miles at a 10-minute-mile clip. Five miles in two months? I think that's do-able.  It helps me get to one of my 100 in 365 goals, so I'm going to stick to it this time.

And, the first time I run five miles consecutively? I'm buying myself Downton Abbey Season One. So if being healthy isn't going to motivate me, being able to escape into the lovely, dysfunctional-yet-elegant world of Mr. Bates and the rest will.