Three years ago I ran my first half marathon on my 29th birthday. I said I’d never run a full marathon.
Over the last two years, I have run about 5 or 6 more half marathons. I said I’d never run a full marathon.
I even bought a shirt at a race expo that read: “13.1 because I am only half crazy.” Again, I affirmed that I am not crazy enough to run a full marathon.
Last year, I made a bucket list. I decided 2012 would be the year I’d run a marathon.
I picked a race in mid November to give myself plenty of time to procrastinate build base mileage.
I haven’t wrapped my head around the fact that I am actually going to do this.
In July, I met a Chicago high school track coach while out on a training run.
He has worked with the Bank of America Chicago Marathon for over a decade. He said that he could get me a guaranteed entry.
Como?
I smiled, nodded and gave him my work email address. Surely he won’t call. The race sold out in 5 days and clearly I am not ready for such high caliber event.
He called. He faxed an entry form and a letter.
I stared at my guaranteed entry form for two hours at work. Am I really about to do this?
I posted it on Facebook and Instagram. Surely, one of the runners will talk some sense into me.
I have not run enough miles. The Chicago Marathon is a full month earlier than the race I am training for. That weekend is supposed to be my 20-miler.
I justified it by telling myself that I could use it as a training run for the real marathon I’ll be running in November.
I filled out the form as fast as I could before I came to my senses changed my mind.
Three years ago, I said I’d never run a marathon.
Last year, I said I’d run it only once.
This year... I’m running two.
-Run.
