First Post

I've tried various blogs before and they've never stuck. This one has a better chance, because it's somewhat temporary. It will serve a function, and then it will end. So yes, my first post is about my last post.

Why I'm writing this blog: In 2010, I qualified to run Boston 2011. You can read about that here. I trained my ass off, and tore my hamstring with six weeks to go until Boston. I couldn't run. I thought I could defer, but I was wrong. In July 2011, I re-qualified for Boston. Want to read about that race? It's here.

But even though I qualified, I didn't get under enough to make it into Boston 2012. I blame the heat, but it's a moot point.

I deserved a second chance to run Boston. A Boston mulligan, if you will.

I was fortunate enough to snag a charity spot for the 2012 Running for Cover Team, benefitting the Melanoma Foundation of New England. I'm pretty excited about this. I have a family history of melanoma, so it's a cause I am close to.

I'm also pretty nervous about this.

My first marathon (I've run five), I ran to benefit Team in Training. I had never run more than five miles before that. I had never fundraised before that. I accomplished both my running and financial goals.

But there's a part of me that worries I won't meet the financial target (I have to raise $4,000). Or that something else with my body will go wrong before next April, 2012. I actually kind of hate talking about my marathon training because I always feel like I'm going to jinx it.

I will be training very conservatively for this. I kind of don't care about my time. I don't expect to PR, and I'm not sure I even want to (though who kicks a PR out of bed, right?). I don't want to embarrass myself, though.

Though I've run five marathons and two qualifiers, I've also had setbacks. Many setbacks. Probably more setbacks than races.

Three weeks ago, I had an emergency appendectomy. That went fine, but it was several weeks off running. Then one of my first days back, I twisted my ankle pretty hard. I've done it once more since.

See why I'm superstitious?

In this blog I'll talk about my experience training and fundraising. That's about it. If you're my friend, I'm on Facebook. If you want the abbreviated version, I'm on Twitter. And once I get my fundraising page set up, I'll post that, too.