Damn zombies.

They make you run and do things you’d rather not do, like sweat, burn calories and turn baseball bats into lethal weapons.

I just want to play “Final Fantasy XV Pocket Edition” and look at the cute graphics all day. How can you resist the adorable chocobos?!

I just want to play “Final Fantasy XV Pocket Edition.” Let the zombies eat me. Wait that’s bad. *sigh*
How can you resist Ignis and this cute chocobo from “Final Fantasy XV Pocket Edition”? I can’t. I’d rather play the game then train for the zombie apocalypse. But I prefer living more than being undead, so I better train.

Zombies know running, and exercise in general, keeps me sane. So they sent me an email through Six to Start, the developer of Zombies, Run!, one of my favorite fitness apps.  I love being Runner 5, collecting supplies and helping build Abel Township. The storyline is top notch.

Six to Start has a few new things going on and I’m a sucker for free things. Now, I have race plans for March and maybe one for April.

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Racelink will host a virtual run, Run to the Deep, in March. The race is like a podcast, you listen and run, while the script leads you through an adventure. This one is written by the British Science Association.
Six to Start’s app Racelink hosts several virtual races in which you can buy your “episode” and bling. You listen to content — similar to a podcast or music — during your race. You can do something with dinosaurs or escape a volcano. I’m doing a 10K in mid-March. Like the Zombies, Run! race feature, the app will talk you through the story-line throughout your race, marking how far you’ve gone until you meet the distance goal. It’s quite brilliant. I can’t wait to listen to my event. If it goes well, I’ll probably buy another race and the bling that comes with it.

In March, I am going to invest in myself, by doing something a tad scary yet intriguing at the same time. It’s a 5K with a polar plunge at the end that raises money for the local Special Olympics organization.

I have not done a polar plunge yet. And I’m scared as heck due to my initiation to cold water at the 2016 GORUCK event I attended.

The zombies also introduced …

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The podcast, The Walk, is like Zombies, Run!, in fact they are written by the same science-fiction writer. Some of the voices sound familiar too.
Six to Start also added a podcast to my listening line-up. Let’s face it, the zombies are trying to control my leisure time. I need to focus, not play with chocobos. There are no zombies in this podcast. In “The Walk,” you are working with a government agency to get a secret package out of Inverness, Scotland, which has suffered a terrorist attack. You have to get to Edinburgh without getting caught. The voices are a tad familiar, possibly from Zombies, Run!, but that makes it more fun. I just got through the first episode and even my husband noted how exciting it seemed.

Let’s train for …

In April, I’m looking at several events, but am aiming at a half marathon trail run. It would be my longest trail run, and I’d get to race in Virginia. I have a bucket-list goal of racing in every state I’ve ever lived in. If I do the Virginia race, I’ll need to find events in New York and Texas to finish my list.

So I’m amping up my running to train for a half marathon. I’m already up to six miles for my long runs, so my concern is more about getting ready for the terrain than the mileage at this point. I expect hills, but I live in a flat area without a lot of hills or stairs to climb.

In May, my family is making plans to participate in a local triathlon as a relay team. I believe I will be paddling the kayak — the first leg of the event. I can’t wait for the weather to warm up so I can start training.

So, I finally nailed down some goals for the next few months. I need to start training again.

Do you have any plans for the immediate future. Feel free to leave a comment.

On a side note, due to some input from some readers, the site will be undergoing some changes. I hope to make it easier to navigate and more suited to my needs. If you think of any way to improve the site, that doesn’t involve writing daily (I’m a mom, my time is limited), let me know.