Consider me oriented

Jan. 4 has come and gone. I'm alive and optimistic.

I didn't begin training (read: RUNNING) last night. That happens tonight at 5:30. But during orientation, I did meet the folks I'll be training with: Brian and Kathy Hoover, who own RunnersWorld Tulsa.

They're great. Friendly, funny and motivational. It's clear they love to run and want to help others learn to love it, as well.

They talked about the program: how and why it works. I will run with the group three times a week: Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays. The weekend run is the long one and the most important, Brian and Kathy say.

I met other runners in the group. Many of them were beginners like me. But some were experienced full marathoners just looking for friends to train with. Everyone seemed to be in good spirits.

We each filled out a questionnaire to place us in the proper pace group. You're supposed to add 60 to 90 seconds to your normal time to find the right distance pace group. I run 11-minute miles on the treadmill, so I signed up for the 12- to 13-minute mile pace group.

My pace group leader is supposed to e-mail this week. This person will lead the long runs, as well as answer questions and encourage (read: NAG) me when I feel like giving up or quit showing up to training. I look forward to meeting this person.

After the orientation meeting, Brian fitted me for new running shoes. (That's them above.)

Tonight, I will run three miles with the group. Afterward, a sports dietitian will give us tips on what to eat throughout training. I am looking forward to that.

I leave you with this:

Things I learned last night

1. I've probably been running too quickly every time I've gotten on a treadmill. The trainers say that if you can't carry on a conversation because you're too busy huffing, puffing or wheezing, you're running too fast. Oops. Maybe that's why running has always been a chore instead of a joy.

2. You can survive a run in the cold, rain, snow, ice, etc. I am still a bit skeptical on this one, but I guess I'll know for sure after tonight. Brian and Kathy say they run in pretty much any condition. They even talked about adding screws to the bottoms of their shoes for traction on ice. That's commitment!

3. If I stick with their plan and complete my training runs, I have about a 99.7 percent shot of completing my half marathon. The long Saturday runs (at 7:45 in the morning, I might add) are the most important, Kathy and Brian say.

4. Running shoes are a pricey investment but definitely worth it. If you're going to run 13 miles, you need good shoes that provide proper support, Brian and Kathy say. Sounds smart to me. I didn't have a clue how to pick the right shoe, but Brian helped me find just the right pair. I also learned running shoes need to be replaced every 300 to 500 miles. I've never thought of my shoes' mileage before.