An introduction to "100 miles is easy... but 100 pushups?"

What is this blog all about? It is pretty much about setting a personal, physical goal and seeing it through. In this case the goal is completing 100 miles in 2 months and ... doing 100 pushups in a session. Now for some background leading to this blog.
One year ago, at age 49, I joined a walk/run training group in order to prepare my body (and mind) for taking part in the 2009 MORE Magazine Half-marathon in New York City.
Where did that idea come from? It came from watching friends, fellow teachers, do the training a year earlier (2008). I remember laughing to myself as I watched them go out in 10 degree weather to walk 3 miles to train.
Later that spring I watched those same women cross the half-marathon finish line in just 3 hours! "Well," I said to myself, but actually outloud on the busride back to Vermont, "I can do that!" The training group leader heard me and replied, "I'm going to remember that for 2009!"
Whether she remembered or not, I did! And on New Year's Eve 2008 I logged onto the MORE Magazine Half-marathon website and registered for the 2009 race. No backing out now! I grew up in NYC. I know Central Park. I actually biked around the park - well, once my senior year of high-school. I have always been able to walk city blocks and, for the past 24 years, I have been walking country roads in southern Vermont.
But was I actually going to be able to walk 13.1 miles?
New Year's 2009 began and so did my training. I walked ... and walked some more. I walked in all kinds of weather following the trainer's mantra, "There's no inappropriate weather, only inappropriate clothing!" I trained with friends and coworkers. I trained with women from my area whom I did not know. But we all had a common goal. And on that April day, in what turned out to be record-breaking heat, I completed 13.1 miles in Central Park!
What followed? A lot of continued camaraderie and more walking. Beginning in May of 2009 I added a little bit of running. But I am a walker make no mistake about that!
My core group of walking/running buddies and I began taking part in 5K races (walks and runs) in southern Vermont and nearby eastern New York.
I was getting a bit faster at walking. I consider 5K (3.1 miles) a standard distance for me now. Throughout the summer and fall I went out 2-3 times (sometimes even 4) a week with one or more group members. Completing 3 miles - sometimes 4 - two times a week and then 5 or 6 miles on weekends.
It began to get a bit harder to get in 3 sessions a week once the teaching year began. Then the nurse at my elementary school threw down a challenge just before Nov. 1st ... 100 Miles by 01/01/10. A friend of hers suggested the challenge and the nurse decided to create a Facebook group describing the challenge: walk, run, treadmill or eliptical 100 Miles between Nov. 1st and New Year's Day! She also challenged our school staff.
Well, that was all I needed - new motivation to keep up with walking and staying fit! November was relatively mild here in southern Vermont and racking up the mileage was easy and I completed my 100 miles on December 3rd. And before I could become complacent ( and winter reality hit), I quickly set another mileage goal for completion by New Year's Day... another 40 miles! Done! Whew! But now what?
Ah - reenter the training group! Time to start preparing for another April half-marathon ... this in Newmarket, NH.
Now after completing the MORE race I knew I could walk 13.1 miles, but this time around there will be more inclines. Okay, I'll just call them what they are - rolling country hills! I better make sure my training walks include hills at least once a week!
Ah- but this is not the challenge I mentioned at the very beginning of this blog, is it?
Here's what this blog is really all about (and you thought I'd never get there!)
It is early January 2010. Reenter the school nurse. She has thrown down a new challenge. She has formed a Facebook group called "Bring it" by 03/13/10. The challenge? Walk, run 100 miles (again?) ... wait you didn't let me finish ... and ... work one's way to doing 100 pushups in a session!
Are you kidding me? Seriously? I'm 50 years old!
Yes, she's serious. And so far 79 people have joined the group!
While completing the 100 miles I will be using the website www.hundredpushups.com to help me, over 6 weeks, condition my body to the point where I can complete 100 pushups! I join the challenge on Facebook because then I am then accountable. To whom? Well, at least to myself.
How do I feel about this new challenge? I am skeptical. I am excited at the prospect of actually being able to do this. I am daunted by the fact that I can not do real pushups (from my toes that is), but the challenge allows for modified pushups (in my case from my knees). I can do 20 right now and I believe I owe that to a full year of walk training. Really!
So here I go. The "Bring it!" challenge officially begins Monday, January 11th. My purpose in blogging about this challenge is to give myself (and you) the opportunity to remember this physical journey.
I will be honest. I will be wordy (as if you hadn't noticed). I hope entries will be amusing and faithful to the experience.
And for the record - I am a wife of 25 years and a mother of 3 kids (the youngest a Freshman in high school) and a paraeducator in an elementary school. I am a freelance writer and I write PR for non-profits.
I will save my thoughts on exercise (and a brief history of my involvement in sports) for another day.
Meanwhile, if this blog has peaked your interest in the challenge visit "Bring it!" by 03/13/10 on Facebook. I hope to see you there!