I've made a decision

I've finally talked myself into it.

I'm going to run the U.S. Cellular Half Marathon in September, it's the half marathon run in conjunction with the Fox Cities Marathon.

Yes, that would mean running 13.1 miles.

13.1 miles as in the distance that would take me on a route through three different cities. Heck, a route that would take me across a county line. I've been toying with the idea since late April, and I had a setback or two, the whole Great Neck Slicing of 2007, but I've thought about it a lot the last two weeks and I've determined it's a 13.1 mile challenge that I want to tackle.

I know I won't be fast. That's not what matters to me. What matters to me is that I can finish it. And I think I can.

I've decided to follow the training program put together by Hal Higdon, I used his program while getting ready for the 5K and was totally ready for it. The program started yesterday, I was supposed to do some strength stuff and stretching, but I didn't. I'll catch up on that, the important thing is that I started out the running part well...with a 3.25 mile run tonight. Which went pretty good.

I admit, the fact that the 12-week program never actually has me running 13 miles freaks me out a bit, but I also have a couple of weeks after the 12 weeks ends before the race, so hopefully I'll be OK.

I know it's going to be hard and there will probably be days when I have absolutely no desire to lace up my running shoes and head out for a run because it's 98 degrees and humid. But I'm going to do it.

So bear with me the next four months or so while I pass along stories about my training. I'm sure I'll have stories about short runs and long runs in addition to runs in the rain and runs where it's so humid it's not even funny. Like I said, it'll be hard, but I think it'll be worth it.