I just got back from walking one of my favorite routes (and when I say favorite route, I mean just about the only one I've walked in Anderson).  My dog is still panting on the floor from the walk even though we've been home now for about 15-20 minutes.  I'm actually started to get a little cold as I've been sitting on my couch cooling off from sweating outside in the sun.

It was a lot cooler than I expected outside, but I knew I was starting off dehydrated as I just woke up a few hours ago (I slept in as I didn't have to go to work today!) and the first thing I drank was a can of soda, (which is bad even though it was diet!) so I made sure to bring lots of water for both me and my dog!

So anyway, the route I walk there is about 2 miles (give or take maybe a 10th or so...)  Now that it's finally warmer, I want to go over there once or twice a week, maybe on my day off and on my way home from work.  Last time I went, it took me about 36 minutes to walk the route.  Today, right around 32!  I felt like I was working harder pretty much the entire time I was walking, but at the same time, I felt more able to keep pushing even though my calves were starting to burn and I was getting out of breath faster.  (Really out of shape, I know, but that's the point of this blog!)

Wendesday was also Weigh Day, a few days late, but Monday was a holiday and I wasn't able to get to the gym on Tuesday.  During the month of May, I lost 8 pounds!  I've been told by a few people that that's pretty awesome but I can't seem to believe it when they tell me that.

A few weeks ago a good friend, Joel, sent me a link to a beginners running program appropriately called "Run Your Butt Off".  AKA "RYBO".  It breaks running down into very small increments and is designed to take people who have never run a step in their lives to being able to run for 30 minutes straight.  I read about the program and was so impressed (maybe motivated?) that I bought the book that detailed the program as well as subscribed to a year of Runners World.  Starting to think I'm kind of a sucker...

I've only read a little bit of the book so far, and I'm still waiting on the first issue of the magazine, but I can already tell, the people who wrote/write this thing really love running.  I think they will have some great tips and great motivators for a beginner [fat] runner.

I would say that right now, I'm cautiously optimistic about it!