'Sounds like you're serious"

I heard this the other day at work and haven't wrapped my brain around it yet.
The last few years I have been trying to break into running. I always disliked running. I played soccer my entire life at all levels and with that came A LOT of running. I just never liked running just to run. I tried a couple times but there was no appeal, no lure, no enjoyment. That changed at the Wasatch 100 in 2005. My first real exposure to trail/ultra running. I was there to see a good friend who was running. I remember pulling into the aide station and looking around thinking- "what the hell?" Who were these people. Many had on Hawaiian flowered button up shirts, ringing cowbells and sitting around talking and cutting up small pieces of fruit and PB & J's. To know me is to understand I do not do well in crowds. I dislike crowds. I will not go to a movie unless I know it will not be crowded. Opening nights....forget about it. I enjoy people but I struggle to communicate at times. If I know you well that's another story.
So there I was waiting for a runner to come down from the mountain. Sitting, waiting and of course people watching (a new found hobby). Next thing I hear is cowbells and yelling- "RUNNER!". I turn and sure enough it's "my guy". I got goosebumps. This was cooool! Well, the next few years I tried and tried but nothing really seemed to work. I picked brains, read books, read magazines, surfed blogs (a new found hobby...might seek help for this addiction) and bugged the crap out of friends, co-workers and family. I started to enjoy the trails, my new friends, races and RUNNING????Yep running. I even went back to run the Wasatch 100 as my first 100 miler (finished but struggled mightily). Last year I suffered and Achilles injury and things just never panned out. I was lucky to finally get the help I needed and feel good now but there was still something missing. So I sat down and brainstormed. What was it?
The first answer was easy, the second not so much. I enjoyed the trails. I wanted to run. I started to feel a yearning to be on the trails but just never made it over the hump. Don't get me wrong, I have never had visions of winning or running a 6 minute or 7 minute pace but I wanted to see what I could do. I never left a race thinking- "that was the best I can do." So here are the 2 answers I came up with:
1- Lose some damn weight. I am not obese by any means but overweight-YES. Hard to swallow a bit of that though and had too many excuses.
2- Train proper- get a coach.

Well, I am bound and determined to lose some weight, maybe even obsessed with it. It plays a role in more than just running. I was fit and lean most of my life and this is kinda new for me so it has even been hard to talk about. And proper training. I know I probably do too many junk miles. So now I have Lisa Smith-Batchen kicking my butt daily! I have been on a training schedule for 4 weeks and LOVE IT! It is hard as hell for me but I enjoy the mix and times and goals. All that is left is me. I need to step up and take more accountability. So throwing this out on my blog is another way to be accountable. Put up or shut up!
So after all this rambling- it's up to me....bottom line.
I am really excited and look forward to see what I really am capable of if I give it a fair shot.
Hiring a coach, passing up the donut tray.....So am I serious?
Damn right!