#3

Early on a Monday morning, half-way through my 2nd cup of coffee, I am distracted from my conference call agenda by an Outlook Calendar Reminder:

"Think about this marathon: www.gardenspotvillagemarathon.org"

and, with that little jolt, my mind kicked in to catch up with my heart.  There I was counting weeks on my fingers and seconds later scratching out a mileage chart:

15th: 12 miles

22nd: 15 miles

1st: 15 miles

8th: 18 miles

15th: 20 miles

22nd: 15 miles

29th: 12 miles

5th-6th: MARATHON

Conference call ends mid-charting and I'm already in the middle of an email to my serious runner friend (SRF) that goes something like this:

Me: You in?

SRF: Already training for it.

Me: Oh my god I had no idea you'd officially decided! 

SRF: ....YES, LET'S DO IT

Hours later, I was left with my Garden Spot Village Marathon Registration Confirmation and that tingly sensation athletes get when a new goal is set firmly down before them.  Although made rapidly, trust me when I say this decision was not made lightly.  Rather, it was made with the confidence of a repeat offender and the steady faith of the blind.  And so, with 50 days left and approximately 25 training runs left, it is, once again, go time.  Only this time:

"As long as we have the road, the ramblings, and each other to look forward to, it's all going to be alright.  Bring it on life - we're laced up and ready."