By Kaitlyn Fulton

Kaitlyn is one of two new guest bloggers who will be writing for 42.2 for the 2016 marathon training season. She will be writing monthly blogs, updating us on the ups and downs of her journey from 0 to 42.2.

Two months ago, my journey to run a marathon started to become a reality when I signed up for the University of Calgary Marathon Training Program. Running a marathon is something I’ve dreamed about accomplishing since I was about 14 (Grade 7). At that time I was on the cross-country team and quite enjoyed running… so naturally you would want to run the hardest race you could think of right?? But in all seriousness, I have been an eager goal setter from a young age so meeting people in my life that have accomplished something as significant as a marathon, always left me dreaming of one day doing it myself. I hope this is the start of establishing a healthy lifestyle that will leave me craving to continue running and to crossing multiple finish lines.

By signing up for the program, I was challenging myself to meet new people, grow as both a person and an athlete and to prove to myself that with commitment and practice, I can accomplish anything. After the first successful month and a bit of training under my belt, I can proudly say I am one step closer to my goal and have learned a lot! I have also found that following a running program while studying for final exams helps tremendously with both my ability to focus and with stress reduction.

Starting the program in March was both an exciting experience but also a nerve wracking one as well. I was worried that I would be the slowest and the least educated person on the team, but it turns out that we have a very wide variety of runners from beginners, just like myself, to people who have done too many marathons to count. I am thankful for how welcoming the group is and how willing people are to share their experiences and knowledge with me!

I can’t wait to see what the rest of this journey has in store for me! =)