The Story Beginns

We're in the year 2007. I am 22 and rather heavy. But not only heavy also a heavy smoker. I do like fruit and veg but if I have a choice I prefer chocolate over the healthy stuff. My bike was fine in the cellar. At least nobody could filch it. The poor thing never saw daylight.

My car on the other hand was parked just outside my door. Why would I take the effort to get my bike outside? Waaaay to much work! And running? Why the hell would you torture yourself like this? No thanks!

Then there was a new guy and it was just like it always is when a girl gets to know a new guy. You wanna be perfect for him. He was the attractive, very sporty doctor-kind. A girl-friend who wasn't into sport? Not his type. But he was absolutely mine. It took some time in my blond head but I knew I needed to do something about my unathleticism. So I went for it. Run you big, fat rat, run!

Friend#1 was begging me to sign up for a 10km run with her. 10Kilometer? Crazy or what?! I was rather indifferent. Until the new guy was there. 10km? Peanuts! Nothing! Let's go! When? In 30 days. No problem!

So I tried for the first time after PE in school to actually run. Agonising pain! My poor muscles. Air! I need air! And that were only the first 2 minutes. I didn't actually run anyway. It was more a kind of schlepping myself.

After about a week of absolute torture every single day I was surprised that it actually got better and better. I was amazed. I could breathe. Ok, people still looked at me when I passed them. Hobbling old men with crutches were faster than me. But I actually started to like the pain. Stupid, isn't it? Well, you know I'm blond.

And the doctor-guy gave me advise how to proceed. I was endlessly proud of myself. I got him! I got him! Never would he leave!

Then friend#1 asked my to sign up for a half-marathon. Half-marathon? What's that? 20 Kilometres?!?! Hmmm...

(The doctor said he had done it...)

...sure, why not?

Three months later all that was left of the doctor were 150 tear-wet pages in my diary and I passed my first 21.1km without friend#1 (at least she was a spectator) in only 2:13:something. Some guys ran the 42.2km faster than me. But I actually made it! Never thought I'd be able to run that distance! 21.1km. That's 21,100 metres! 2,110,000 centimetres! That's nuts!

My parents asked who I was and what I had done to their daughter. My friends would't recognise me on the street. Not bad! And it was only the beginning...