Learning to Run - step one

My sister just ran the Disney marathon 2008 - and she is amazing! She's inspired most of the rest of her brother and sisters to run next year. I need major training before that, and I want to journal what I am doing. I'm overweight - 225 pounds at last weigh in. I've lost 30 pounds in six months, but another 30 would make me look like I was running. I used to run in high school and college for feild hockey training - and I hated it. But, I loved the feeling of accomplishment. I loved that it made the rest of the work out easy.

My sister tells me anyone can run a marathon. We'll see. I am going to buy shoes at the running store on Sunday - they will observe my run on a treadmill and help me choose a pair or two to get.
I have been walking the dog for six months - 1.5 miles a day usually. We have gotten so we run past certain houses (especially where there are other dogs), so I have increased the amount of houses we run past. I am not up to running 1.5 miles straight yet. Also, it is really icy this time of year, and the dog pulls me along. I don't want him to have too big a running start in case I fall - is that an excuse?

I am planning for the full marathon in January 2009, but if it is a half, I will be ok with that too. I am just starting on the training - I don't even have good sneakers yet. I have a long way to go, but want to plan big.

I am 9 days away from doing my first 5K in years. Another sister and I are going to do it - she'll run and I will walk. It'll be the first time I do a distance outside. I hope to run most of the first half mile, then walk the next two and run the last 0.1. It is a way to get a starting number. Can I do 3.1 miles in an hour?

What do you wear? I'll have shoes, but what clothes? Tomorrow I am going to run on the local track, outside and see if my old sweats will work. One problem - when you get overweight to a certain size, drawstring sweatpants get hard to find. They are just stretchy - I guess they figure big girls don't work out, or we might break a sweat trying to tie the strings. (Ha ha) With the weight I have lost, my sweats are loose - I don't want them to fall down. So, I will be buying new sweats. If you have any suggestions, let me know - I am running in pretty cold weather, and I get pretty sweaty.