On the road towards that half marathon

I signed up for a half-marathon about a month or so ago, to be run in August. Now, when I signed up, I was (and I'm still not) any where near half-marathon ready. Not even 5K race ready. But it's been a goal of mine for a long time and I figured I better get on with actually doing it instead of just talking about it like I have been doing for years. I have been getting out to run when I can, but with just life in general, it's pretty tough some times to make the time...and to not make excuses as to why I can't get out and run. This past weekend, the town I live in had a 5K for the town festival. A couple friends of mine were planning on running and I agreed that if it wasn't raining, I would run. Even though I didn't think I was ready. I'll admit, I really, really hoped it would rain. And yes, I realized that not wanting to get out and run doesn't seem like the attitude a woman wanting to run 13 miles in August should have. But I just don't want to make an idiot of myself. Anyway, I wake up and the sun is shining. Rats. Have to run. Plus my mom was coming up to watch the kids so I could run, and since she has to drive an hour, I figured I better make it worth her trip. So I got dressed, my mom came and I took myself down to sign up. And I ran it. And most importantly, I finished it!! Not a great time, 31:55, but considering I wasn't quite ready to run 5K, I'm very happy with my time. Plus I finished and have gotten that addiction to road races back....which means I'm now actually excited (and a bit nervous still) about the half-marathon. The adrenaline that kicks in and the feel of competition really works wonders for my persistence to keep running when I want to stop. And as for my time, a cousin of mine who runs marathons and helps people train said that my 5K times would slow down when I started training for a half because the pace is different. So I feel good. I ran that first race post-baby #4. My plan is to run a 5K in June, this 5 mile race on July 4th, even though I work a 12 hour shift the night before, and a 10K the weekend before the half. My official training starts Monday. On the schedule, the weekend before the half I'm supposed to run 6 miles so a 10K is perfect. I'll maybe fit in a 5K race sometime in June, but I'm even more motivated now. It's time to hit the road!