New Directions for Cat’s Brainwave Blog: My Half Marathon

Hello Readers,

Most of you are familiar with Cat’s Brainwave as a travel blog; but since my return from The Land Down Under, my funds (or lack thereof) have limited me from continuing to fulfill my travel passion. So, while I find a job and begin to replenish my savings account, I plan to blog about another passion of mine: running.

In the midst of my post-college job hunt, I have developed a nagging itch to support a good cause. But, because my soon-to-be career will dictate my routine and schedule, I must wait to commit to an organization or community service program. In the meantime, I figured that I could participate in short term events to help support causes. My first event was walking for Relay for Life. It was an emotional but rewarding evening. My mom and I walked two miles together, quietly reflecting on the solemn importance of this event.

On one particularly lazy morning, I laid in bed with my laptop on my lap (go figure) simply reading emails and surfing the web. During my aimless browse, I happened to spot an advertisement for a half marathon in Hershey Park. I have wanted to run a half marathon for years now, but I had not found the motivation or time to actually do it. In this moment, all of my hesitation immediately dissipated at this opportunity. I could kill two birds with one stone: support a great cause while checking “Run Half Marathon” off my list of Things To Do Before I Die. My family is very receptive to my new endeavor, and I am excited to accomplish such a feat.

So, I hope you are interested in reading about my experiences through this immense challenge. I know that I will need endless support and motivation through these next nine weeks. Wish me luck! :)

THE HALF MARATHON DETAILS:
From August 2nd (today) to October 2nd, I will be training for the Hershey Park Half Marathon (13.1 miles). The half marathon takes place on Sunday, October 3rd in Hershey, PA. The Hershey Half Marathon benefits The Children’s Miracle Network at Penn State Children’s Hospital. The Children’s Miracle Network funding helps provide top-notch pediatric support for sick children. I will be following a nine week half marathon training program for beginners supplied by RunnersWorld.

For more information about the Hershey Park Half Marathon, visit http://hersheyhalfmarathon.com/.

To view my RunnersWorld nine week training program, visit http://www.runnersworld.com/article/0,7120,s6-238-244--6851-2-2X5X8-4,00.html.

For more information about The Children’s Miracle Network at Penn State Children’s Hospital, visit http://www.pennstatehershey.org/web/cmn/home.