How it all began

I went to eat lunch with a colleague on Friday.  We were discussing physical activity... Read :  SHE was discusssing her own physical activities, as I have NONE. Nada, zilch. I have never been the sporty type, I don't like to watch sports on tv, the mere thought of sporting makes me want to faint.  You know the type.
So after listening to her talk about badminton, bicycling, running, I think to myself "Please insert interesting bit here".  After swallowing my bite :
"Of all the sports out there, running has always attracted me and it's something I would like to try one day ." (Notice the bolded out words. Would/One Day.  Yep ! Procrastination Queen)

Colleague : "Oh ? Well lots of us at the Bank have signed up for the Tour du Lac Brome ! Why don't you sign up with us !"
Me : Well... I've never ran before ! Mumbling : Well save for 2 years ago when I decided to run... a career that lasted 2 weeks because I started too strong with a 5k run every day the first week, and ruined my knees for 2 months
Colleague : (laughter) But Karine, you have to train for this, and start with a smaller goal ! I signed up for the 10k, you could even sign up for the 5K !! It would be so fun !
Me : Sounds like fun indeed... When is it ?
Colleague : June 19th. Father's Day weekend !
Me : Wow, that gives me roughly 2 months to train... is this realistic you think ?
Colleague : Of course !!
Me : (half-brave, half-chicken-shit). Well I might just sign up.

So we finish our lunch.
A seed had been planted.

Fast forward to last night, cocktail party for our clients. I run into another colleague from the Bank.
- Sooo, Karine, I hear you are signing up for the Tour du Lac Brome ?
- eeehhh... well... (interruption)
- It's gonna be SO fun ! You're going for the 10k right ? I signed up for the 20k, ah man i think I overdid it, and  blah blah blah
My thoughts as I am listening to her : "Wow. This girl is just ordinary. Not your typical sporty type. She is a mom to young kids, she is my age (late 30s), and she's doing this ? And the 20k for that matter !!"
The fact that she got me laughing (read : nearly pissing myself), that I saw myself in her, just this akward unsporty person who is just out for a personal challenge - made me take the leap right then and there.
- Yeah I am going for the 10k

Peer pressure ? hmm. Yes maybe some. Not the main reason though.
Wanting to prove that I can do this ? Yes definitely. To myself mostly. I am stubborn in that way.
But let's be honest, also to my friends and family. This time I want to show them that the Karine who starts things too intensely and never finishes them (I won't even start with the clothes rack exercise bike story !) is really minded this time.
The main reason ? Feeling that I've procrastinated long enough, that I've lead an unbalanced life long enough. I've reached lots of goals, most of them academic-related. So I do know that I have the capacity to reach a goal.
The abuse that I've given my body by not training it, by feeding it unealthy foods, has been shadowed out all these years by youth.
But now I'm 36.  These past few years I've definitely felt the lack of energy big time. Stronger mood swings, and that general feeling that I'm missing out on something. You know ?
Youth is not on my side anymore. It's starting to become a memory. 

So what now ? I think it's a no-brainer !

Let's do it