I’m goin’ for it!

by Posted on

I’m a runner. I have been since school when I ran on the cross country team. I enjoy running. Really, I do. But I never wanted to run a marathon. I thought maybe I’d do a half-marathon at some point, but 26.2 miles? I don’t think so.

Shortly after we got married, I convinced Paul to join my gym. I asked him to try it for one month. After the end of week one, I figured he’d drop at the end of the month. But then he found the treadmills. And he started to go to the gym with excitement!

Within a few months, we purchased a really good treadmill and ended the gym memberships. His goal at that time was to run a 5K. And he did it. Then I mentioned the Bloomsday 12K and he shook his head “No!” but within a few weeks, we were registered for that race, too. But he would never run a marathon, he said – not even a half-marathon.

But a year later, he ran his first half-marathon. And all of the sudden, he decided that he would run a marathon before he turned 50. But he couldn’t wait that long, so a year after that first half-marathon, he was meant to run his first marathon. But he died a month before the race at the age of 47.

I remember thinking at the time that I would run the race in his memory. But I was in the throes of grief and there was no way I could walk one mile – let alone run more than 26! A year later, I still wasn’t ready.

But now I am. Or at least, I think I am. Mentally, mind you. Certainly not physically!

Yes, I am planning to run the Loch Ness Marathon on Sunday, 2 October 2011, in Inverness, Scotland. And I’ve got a couple of friends talked into running it with me. And I hope to talk more people into running with me, too.

Now, I say that I’m going to run it but I have to be completely honest with you and myself and say that, medically, I don’t know if I can. I have a hard time maintaining my platelet counts when I’m running 5Ks and 10Ks, I don’t know that my body will like me running a marathon – or even that it will like training for one.

So, I guess that I’m planning on doing a marathon. Run, walk, crawl… one way or another, I want to complete a marathon before what would have been Paul’s 50th birthday.

Yes, folks, I’m insane. Feel free to join me along the route – running or cheering from the sidelines!

3 Replies to “I’m goin’ for it!”

  1. You have me intrigued. I too, have said I would never run 26 miles. I mean, why? That sounds painful, so a half has always been the most I would want to do. But to run it in Scotland? Well, that may be enough motivation for anyone. Does the lock ness marathon have a half as well? Maybe those not ready for 26 miles, could run the half and then still be at the finish line to cheer you on.
    Hmm, what’s a ticket to Scotland going for these days?

    Reply

    1. No half, but they do a 5 and 10K… Tickets from SeaTac are $750-1,200 depending on when you buy. A couple of the Wallace girls are thinking of coming over from Seattle and Portland… Could be fun (says the crazy lady) 😉

      Reply

  2. and I’m kind of 1/4 going for it – 10k for me. If there’d been a half marathon I might have tried that, but not a marathon, hats off to you Frances!
    xx

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