Now that I have overindulged for the past two days, my body is begging for some clean eating and the usual running routine. Good thing I have another goal – another half-marathon in February. Two half-marathons actually. Wanna join me in training and running a half- marathon in 2012?

You might be thinking, “I have no desire to run a half-marathon.” On the other hand, you may be thinking, “I’ve always wondered if I could do that.” You might even be thinking the two different thoughts at the same time. I know I did. It took me a while to get motivated, but I did it, and now that I’ve completed three half-marathons with several more upcoming, I am glad I did it. If you’ve ever tossed around the idea of running a half, now is your time. Here’s three reasons why you should begin your training now:

1. Three months will fly by in no time. That’s really all it takes – three months – to train for a half-marathon. It’s true. I started out unable to run a few minutes without stopping, but over the course of a short twelve weeks, I worked my way up to running miles. The time flew by. In three months you can run or even walk a half-marathon, or you could still be thinking about running a half-marathon.

2. Training will keep the holiday pounds away. The holidays can pack on the pounds. There is food everywhere. Training will give you an opportunity to prevent those extra five or ten pounds from sticking to your hips this season. If that’s not reason enough, I don’t know what is.

3. It minds your mind. Not only will training for a race – whether that’s a half-marathon or a 5K – help you physically, but it will also strengthen you mentally. We know all that stuff about endorphins and increased mental clarity that comes with regular physical activity, but we healthcare professionals rarely practice the mind-protective art. I was surprised how quickly running became a stress relief. Now I run more for my mental health more than my physical health. The great thing is mental health and physical health are a package deal!

Sign up for a race. Start training. Run (or walk!) your race. You’ll gain confidence and maybe even lose a few pounds in the process. There’s no better time than the present to begin training. Let me know if you’re running or training for a race. I’d love to cheer you on!