What The Heck Have I Agreed To?

Have I completely lost it? I'll answer that for you...yes. In January, Dale and I registered for the STP and made it official. In July, we will join 8998 other bicyclists to ride 204 miles from Seattle to Portland (hence the abbreviation STP). Every time I think about it, I get a little hot flash. Each day, I get on my bike and ride my little brains out, so I will be able to complete this mammoth task.

Oh wait, it gets better. Here's where the crazy part comes in...

I get this email this morning from my awesomely great, marathon-running friend Courtney in Maryland:

OK...

Man up Jess, it's BALLS TO THE WALL time. Are you ready to take on something FIERCE? Are you ready to be strong and fit and confident and make people go "damn, that Jess is a bad ass!"

Registration has started for the Nike Women's Half & Full Marathons. And I want YOU in it! Eh! Eh! Eh! Don't EVEN start making mental excuses just yet! HEAR ME OUT...

Unfortunately, they are only doing a random drawing for all slots. You have to register by the 18th of March, give them all your info, your credit card #, then they have a random drawing and on April 1st you find out if you are one of the lucky ones picked to PAY to run your ass off. Sound like fun?

Here are my thoughts... you're hip, you're in shape, you ride your little bike all the time and have developed strong legs. Biking is actually REALLY good for runners because it strengthens your hamstrings and quads which support your knees. Anyway, I think you're ready for this challenge. I think you're ready to be a BAD ASS MOM who marathons.

The half and full marathons start at the same spot and run together until Mile 11 when they split off. So even though I am doing the full marathon, if you did the half I could run with you for 11 miles. You would only have to get through the final 2.1- piece of cake.

Besides... seriously... don't you want that coveted TIFFANY & CO. necklace as a finishers medal. Oh wait- delivered by FIREFIGHTERS in TUXEDOS. Simma down Dale- we all get to have our dreams!

So anyway... I think you should leave it up to fate and register and see if you get in. Whatcha think sista?

--
Courtney

Because I am oh-so-easily-persuaded (a "sucka" as I've been called), I've agreed to do it. Conditionally. I will only do the half marathon, because in my mind it is categorized like this:

Running 13.1 miles- Do-able
Running 26.2 miles- Crazy

Also, I am leaving it to chance. It will be a lottery-type registration process, because apparently the city of San Francisco isn't big enough to accommodate all of the women who want to participate...??? So if my name is drawn, I'll do it. If my name isn't drawn, I'll spend that day on my couch eating bon-bons watching Real Housewives of Orange County.

I think next I'll take up yoga...