Lately, everyone has been asking us one question — “How’s the running going?” And we tell them, “Well, we have a half marathon coming up in March.” Which, you know, doesn’t tell them much about how the actual running is going. It’s called AVOIDANCE, folks, and we’re well versed in it post-marathon.

So, how IS the running going? Well, since this post is me officially coming clean, I’ll tell you. It’s hasn’t been going well.

Sure, we’ve run… a few times. And the few times that we’ve done long runs, we’ve been able to do them. If we didn’t run again until the half marathon, I think we would still be able to do it. That said, though, what’s the point of running if it’s only for racing purposes and not for your health and enjoyment? Did we totally miss the point by spending the entire year focused on a marathon and not on the actual running? Have we cheated ourselves out of developing running into a habit by being obsessed with a marathon goal? Or are we just really lazy?

Well, the jury is still out on that last question. But after my last run in the pouring rain with a stroller, I’ve had to do some soul searching about the whys and hows and whens of all of this. Why did we even start this? How do I move forward into a healthier pattern? When will it be more about running than about the goals?

I don’t have any answers, but I know that at the rate I’m going, I’m heading right back to who I was before we even started training last year. Knowing what I should be doing and just sitting around, making excuses as to why I’m NOT doing it.

So, until it becomes a habit again, until it becomes second nature to get out and run… I’m going to take the Lazy Faulk Challenge. I hereby commit myself to running EVERY DAY for the next forty days, no matter what the weather looks like, no matter how I’m feeling, and no matter what brilliant reason I can come up with for just skipping it. Keep me honest, y’all, okay? I once heard that doing something every day for thirty days will make it a habit, and I’m trusting that it will. The ten extra days are just to make sure it sticks. Ha! The goal isn’t a distance or an event — it’s just once again getting into the habit of lacing up, getting out the door, and hitting the pavement.

Anyone out there want to take the challenge with me?