Marathon woman: "if I can finish the 26.2 miles, it will surely be a testament to the yearlong life-changing journey I've undertaken."

Shape, Nov, 2004 by Jacqui Stafford

By no stretch of the imagination would I ever consider myself an athlete. So when my friend Kasumi suggested back in May that I join her in running the New York City Marathon this November, naturally I assumed she'd lost her marbles.

But while I may never possess the figure of an Olympic-level runner, I owe it to myself to be the best Jacqui possible. So even if the idea of my completing a marathon once seemed as preposterous as my flying to Mars, I decided (with Kasumi's persuasion) that I had nothing to lose. And last July, I exuberantly let friends, family and colleagues in on my goal.

You see, I've always loved running, and could (relatively) easily manage five miles in one go at a leisurely 11-minute-mile pace. But a gentle jog admiring the magnolias and tulips in Central Park is one thing; running 26.2 miles is quite another.

I needed to get serious. I needed a plan. I needed a fabulous accessory. I first called my friend Richard, from the New York Road Runners Club (NYRR), who suggested I sign up for the NYRR seminar that I like to call "So You Think You Want to Run a Marathon?" Then, to help track my progress, I got a Nike Triax Elite HRM/SDM watch so I could monitor my heart rate and per-mile speed.

The NYRR seminar was encouraging: I half-expected to jostle shoulders with zero-percent-body-fat Olympians, yet everyone looked like ... well, like me: ordinary, busy professionals with their hearts set on completing the marathon.

However, my first running class with the Road Runners didn't bode well. It was pouring rain, so I darted into the nearest taxi. But instead of heading home to a pint of Haagen-Dazs as I would have done in the past, I went to the gym and ran for 30 minutes on the treadmill.

To train, I've been following the New York City Marathon's suggested first-time marathoner schedule, which starts 18 weeks before the event; it recommends four to six runs per week, usually increasing total weekly mileage by one to five miles each week. The schedule starts off with three- and eight-mile runs the first week, gradually builds up to 20 miles (yes, in one run), then decreases as the marathon gets closer.

I've also been joining the Road Runners for weekly runs that vary in length and type, including slow jogs, hills, sprints and speed running. Twice a week, I run with my friend Charlie (who has completed eight marathons and, for some baffling reason, keeps going back for more). The rest of the time, I run with Kasumi, whose idea this was in the first place. Last week, we actually ran 13 miles in about 2 1/2 hours.

Here's the deal I've made with myself: I'm not backing out. So whether it takes me four hours or four days (it's safe to say I won't be among the top 10 finishers), if I can complete those 26.2 miles without stumbling half-dead across the finish line, it will surely be a testament to the yearlong life-changing journey toward a new, improved me.

So if you're in New York City on Sunday, Nov. 7, and you spot me among the 35,000 other obsessed runners, shout some encouraging words. I'll need them.

WHAT I LEARNED

1. Try out different sports or types of exercise until you find something you truly enjoy.

2. Make a goal so you have something to work toward besides just losing weight.

3. Listen to your body: Don't overwork yourself; do everything in moderation.

RELATED ARTICLE

then

month 1 Height: 5'4"

Weight: 156 lbs.

Body fat: 33%

V[O.sub.2] max*: 41.9 ml/kg/min

Aerobic fitness: above average

Resting blood pressure: 120/80

Cholesterol: 213 (borderline high)

month 5 Weight: 143 lbs.

Net pounds lost: 13

Body fat: 27%

Net body fat lost: 6%

month 10 Weight: 141 lbs.

Net pounds lost: 15

Body fat: 24%

Net body fat lost: 9%

now

month 11

Weight: 138 lbs.

Net pounds lost: 18

Body fat: 23%

Net body fat lost: 10%