Learning To Walk: From the Sofa to a Marathon in Nine Months

By Sheilagh Conklin

Book Overview

Sheilagh admits to being a Ding-Dong-loving, forty-five-year-old mom, 50 pounds overweight, with no significant athletic experience. But she agreed to join the Children's Tumor Foundation Marathon Team, vowing to complete the Portland Marathon on October 1, 2006, while raising funds to help end neurofibromatosis or NF, an often devastating genetic disorder.

Like pregnancy, she had nine months to prepare for the marathon. Nine months to transform from a middle-aged, chubby, sedentary woman to a participant in an activity usually reserved for the elite athlete. The first trimester: an unwitting conception followed by big plans, but no outward signs of progress. The second trimester: significant changes, crazy discoveries, and the realization that she had no business doing a marathon or ever wearing a thong. The third trimester: discomfort, victories, and coming to terms with the inevitable. Labor: a grueling day-long push to finish the Portland Marathon.

Quirky, humorous, and brutally honest, Learning To Walk takes unpredictable side trips, yet, at the same time, stays focused on a singular experience and goal-finishing the Portland Marathon. Everything that crossed Sheilagh's path is explored and nothing is off limits.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0595454364
• ISBN13: 9780595454365
• Release Date: October 2007
• Publisher: iUniverse
• Length: 100 Pages
• Weight: 0.35 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.2" x 6.0" x 9.0"

Customer Reviews

very funny

this was a very funny book... I really felt as if this writer was a friend sharing here story! I am walking a half marathon! she gave me courage!

Inspiring, Humble and Laugh-Out-Loud Hilarious!!

Sheilagh Conklin has put together a collection of chapters telling an engrossing tale of her quest to walk the Portland Marathon. Her hilarious and wanton naivetee about exercise, training and underwear kept me turning pages until I crossed the finish line with her! I recommend to any woman even thinking about starting to (dare I say it) "work out."

Funny, inspiring, real...

I rarely, if ever, write a book review but I literally just finished reading this and ran (well slowly strolled) to my computer to write this. I must say fate was clearly in play. I bought this book knowing nothing about it. I didn't even read the books description before adding it to my "cart". I am SO glad I did. This book was GREAT!! I actually laughed out loud several times while reading it. My husband must have thought I was crazy! It's so great to read about a real womans real struggles with diet & exercise. I have recently started yet another diet & exercise program myself and this is just what I needed in week #2 of my journey to keep me going. I would love for Sheilagh to write a sequel to this. BUY THE BOOK...you won't be disappointed!!

Entertaining and Motivating!

Well-written and a fun book to read; and also because the author went to so much effort to live and experience it, I give it 5 stars! It is a great motivator, about an out-of-shape and overweight mom who has never exercised and is in her late 40's. She takes control, loses 50 pounds and breaks the cycle of being sedentary, to participate in a grueling 26-mile marathon. And...in nine months a power walker is born! Many humorous moments. The marathon, as it turns out, may not be the healthiest thing, but changing her lifestyle is. Fun, humorous, honest and entertaining (Did she really sit on the porta-potty seat?). Now, we need a sequel to know if the author maintained her healthier way of life...or maybe a blog...does she eventually break the sugar habit fully and rid herself of M & M's and Skittles? Diet Coke?? Well, I have to know!!!

You'll laugh, You'll Cry, You'll Wanna Frock on Fridays

Funny stuff...a great read...plus, I'm mentioned in the book a few times. Grab a copy and put on your sneakers...let's go!