The Running Like a Girl Challenge: Prologue

Some pretty smart people over at Simon and Schuster Canada have come up with one of the best book promo ideas I've seen probably ever. Instead of a regular book tour for Alexandra Heminsley's Running Like a Girl, the publisher challenged Canadian bloggers to read the book, start walking or jogging, then sign up for a race in June.

When I heard about it my first thought was, 'a couple years ago I could have done that.' You see, a couple years ago I used to take much better care of myself. I walked everywhere, jogged twice a week. Then, like a lot of people, things changed for me. I graduated from school and started looking for a job. But I couldn't find one. The more I looked and the more I was rejected (can you call it rejection when your resume isn't even acknowledged by an organization?), the harder it was to convince myself that sticking to a routine was necessary. I started spending more and more time inside, by myself, sitting. Some days I didn't even bother to change out of my pajamas. And I gained 21 pounds.

My confidence has suffered, from not finding work, from spending so much time isolated from the world outside my house, and of course from the extra weight. My health has suffered, too. 21 extra pounds is a lot. Sitting around all day damages your body. I can feel it when I climb from the basement to the top floor of the house. I can feel it when I walk to the end of the street to mail a letter.

So a day after I heard about the Running Like a Girl challenge, I contacted Simon and Schuster and signed up. Then today, this package arrived with a copy of the book and a runner's starter kit with socks, a notebook, really cute nail polish and hair ties, a water bottle and an energy bar.

Today, I will start the book. Today, I will find my motivation. Today, I will get back on my feet.

Follow my journey here and on twitter at @paperbackpastry