Run, Forest, Run!

My poor, neglected blog. 

Without actively looking through my old posts, I cannot recall the last thing that I wrote about which tells me that it's been entirely too long since I've written anything.  And I miss writing.  Sure, I do some writing at work, but it's all about what flaws I see in your investment portfolio and what my company can do to better diversify your assets and how we can transition those assets in a tax-sensitive manner.  It's fine, but it's not the same as the blog. 

The original premise of the blog was to document all my travels with the kids during our Summer of Fun (also known as the summer I was unemployed).  I love to look back over those posts, to see the things we were doing back then.  And to remember what a gift the Summer of 2011 really was. 

But since the kids are both in school and I am working full-time, if I limit myself to trips with the kids, I won't write all that much this year (see 2012 if you don't believe me). 

So instead, I am going to try to make a commitment to do this with some degree of regularity.  Among the most likely of topics you'll see - my crazy notion that at 43, I can run my first marathon.   For the record, I am not 43 yet.  But I would be on marathon day...

When I first started running again almost four years ago, my friend Don planted the idea of running a marathon in my head... he wanted to run something like the Marine Corp Marathon in Washington DC and would I just think about it and wouldn't it be a really great accomplishment and why don't I just think about doing it with him. 

For a long time I was pretty adamant that I wouldn't do it. 

I compromised.  Said I would try a half and see how it went... I ran the Nittany Valley Half Marathon back in 2010 and I've run two ten-mile races (the Broad Street Run in Philadelphia) since then as well.  I can do that 'middle' distance and still walk the next day. 

Everyone I know who has run a marathon has told me that it's a completely different experience compared to the half-marathon (beyond the notion that it takes twice as long).  That the recovery is much longer and more painful.  But, what the heck... I am not getting any younger.  I even have the roots to prove it.  If I am ever going to do it, this is probably as good a time as any.

This September, the Mount Nittany Conservancy is sponsoring the inaugural Mount Nittany Marathon.  It's local.  And it's a $50 entry fee.  It would be impossible to find something, anything else, so convenient and affordable.  So, I have a race in mind... but that is the easy part.

The hard part is where I actually train for the race.  I've been looking for marathon training programs and think a six-month program is the best approach for a 'beginner' (you are considered a 'beginner' if you are currently running 15 to 20 miles per week).  I'm close to the low end of that distance now, running about 12 to 15 miles a week, so my first goal is to tack on a few extra miles a week.  Come March 1, I'll start following a yet-to-be determined training program.

And I'll write about it.  Hopefully not in that dull, oh-my-God, how can she want us to read this sort of way.  But in a way that's a little entertaining and maybe a little inspiring as you are looking at your own fitness goals for the new year. 

At least that's the plan for now... stay tuned!