A Greek inspiration

Not far from Athens ,Greece there is a field called Marathon. In approximately 490 B.C. the Greeks fought against the Persians in The Battle of Marathon. They fought to keep the Persians from enslaving them. Imagine the cultural and culinary accomplishments that might have been lost on that field. Fortunately they won and Pheidippides, a Greek soldier and courier ran from Marathon to Athens 26 miles away to deliver the good news, where he promptly fell over dead. This news definitely made me rethink my idea of running a marathon. Perhaps I'll start with a half marathon. marathon's are run in commemoration of this faithful soldiers fateful race to announce peace. I on the other hand just want to challenge myself on my road to building up my health and losing weight. A far less noble purpose I agree. However, I am hoping that maybe that good soldier was injured and worn out from fighting? If not I am probably going to rethink even the half marathon. In the mean time I am training away. Understand I have been obese for about 13 years and suffer with asthma and back and stomach pain. walking has always been my chosen form of exercise. Recently I began to run, grant it it is only four minutes at a time, but one has to start somewhere...right? After Changing our diet completely for our entire family

my Husband and I have dropped collectively 80 pounds. Our girls have lost approximately 30 pounds. So far none of us have re found them. While My husband and I still have a little bit more to lose, we are up to the challenge. Since we are being influenced so much today by things Greek, Well, why not have a little bit of Greece for lunch. The girls and I chopped fresh cucumber, tomato, red peppers and artichoke hearts. Thinly sliced red onion and black olives along with calamatas and marinated mushrooms adorned torn copper lettuce. Dressed casually in about an ounce of fresh sheep's milk feta and garlic olive oil and balsamic. Ezekiel bread pitas anointed with olive oil and garlic toasted lightly and cut in points, perched beside this delicious salad. A half an artichoke completed this meal. Despite flavor that any self respecting ancient Greek would approve of, the meal itself was completely healthy and figure friendly. Eaten outside at my little bistro table in perfect 80 degree weather and surrounded by laughing conversation, This was definitely the best part of my training to date. Now, if only running in any length marathon was even half as appealing as lunch.