'stickK' ing with it

Alright so wayyy back when this blog first started, my only motivation for running was the fact that I spent money on a race [read here if you don't remember]. I tried this theory again last March, but it didn't quite work as well. I mean yes, I did sign up for the race and yes, I ran the whole thing, but I ran once maybe twice before the actual race. In all reality I could have walked it faster. I was so out of shape at that point and it had only been a a couple months since I was running multiple times a week (since Christmas to be exact). So it makes me SO freaking nervous to take on this New Year's goal of running a half-marathon. Since money was my original motivator, I figure it can't hurt to give it another try. I found this website [http://www.stickk.com/] which appears to be the answer. 

This site allows you to make commitments to yourself. You start with a goal: 

• Lose Weight
• Excercise Regularly
• Quit Smoking
• Race
• Maintain  Weight
• or Create Your Own 

Then based on the goal you answer a few questions. Like for 'excercise regularly' you pick the number of days per week you can commit, the number of weeks you want to do this for and when your commitment starts. The next page is where the money comes into play...

The page starts with 'where does my money go if I don't succeed?' and allows you to choose from a number of categories. The first is an anti-charity. If it is hatred that motivates you then when you don't complete that week's commitment some amount of money will be donated to a charity you are against. There is also an option for a charity of your choice, as well as a 'friend or foe,' or if money doesn't motivate you, you can choose not to donate anything.

Once you pick your category (I chose 'friend or foe' but really I'm going to have it sent to my savings account), then you choose the weekly amount that will be donated if you can't keep your promise. I did $5.00 for 17 weeks which could potentially equal $85.00.

After this you can choose a 'referee' who will report each week if you completed your task. I decided to go with the honor system and not assign that job to someone else.

Finally you can add supporters. I don't want to add any until I at least run once, so I'm holding off on this for now.

And you are done!

Now all you have to do is remember to go in each week and report that you did (or didn't) do what you said you would that week. If you complete it, great, and if not, $5.00 of my money will be donated to my savings account... and not the one that's linked to my checking and has barely any savings, but the one that I don't know how to take money out of ha.

So there we have it. I have promised to exercise 3x per week and also put the Flour City Half-Marathon on there as well.

If you want to be a supporter let me know and I can send you the link.

So back to the beginning of this post where I said I was freaking out... I know that on even my worst day I can make it a mile, and that is where we start. It's already Wednesday and I haven't braved the elements once yet. Week 1 does not appear to be going well. I do have today, tomorrow, Friday and Saturday to get three one-mile runs in, and since it is only a mile, I think I'll be alright? Slash $5.00 is a lot of money to a girl fresh out of college (or a year and a half out, but likes to pretend she's not getting older), so I better damn well complete this.

XOXO

PS - before Christmas, my roommate and I were discussing how the red wii would match our living room purrrfectly... and since her shopping habits are way worse than mine, she bought it as a Christmas present to herself. So now we have a wii and wii fit, which I'm sure will bring lots of posts of my uncoordination and my ability to get hurt doing just about everything. So far, all we have figured out is out to make our miis. Mine is adorable with a side pony because lets face it, that look will always be in style.