And Introducing...

... Me!!

I believe that blogs are supposed to start with an introduction of the author.  So, in another example of how awkwardly this blog is starting out, I will begin my second post with a brief introduction.

My name is Marley.  I am an Assistant State's Attorney.  I started this blog as a way to keep my self motivated as I train for the Chicago Marathon.  What I did not mention in my last post is that I have actually registered for the Chicago Marathon three times.  The first time was in 2007, the year it was 88 degrees with humidity hovering at or above 90%.  It was awful, and I have never before and never since been as sick as I was after they stopped me from running.  I didn't even get to finish the marathon.  I ran about 18 miles, which was shorter than my longest training run, and I was REALLY angry about it.  I continued to be angry even while I was vomiting and barely able to walk once I got home.  Like I said, it was bad.

The second time I registered, I wasn't consistent and my training fell apart.  I could say that I was in the middle of law school and everything else just got in the way, but this is life.  Everything else always gets in the way.  What you have to do is make damn sure that the things you love bust through everything else and get done.  I did not do that the second time I registered for Chicago.  So I decided to volunteer and I showed up race day (earlier than the runners, mind you) and set up a water station and handed out cups of water to thirsty runners.

This year is my third registration and I'm hoping that whole "third times the charm" thing comes through for me.  That would really be helpful.

Today I ran 3 miles.  Yesterday I ran 6 miles.  I finished the 6 miles in 1:12:28.  That's only 28 seconds slower than I was hoping for!  If I do 12 minute miles, I would have come in at or slightly before 1:12:00. But, to my credit, I had to stop only half a mile into the run to take a little pebble out of my shoe.  It would have driven me mad had I left it in there, and it took me at least 30 seconds to get the damn thing out of my shoe.  So, I think that's a good start.  Today was also a solid run, completing my 3 miles in 35:29.  So I'm definitely being consistent about my pacing.

My goal for Chicago is to run the marathon in 5 hours and 30 minutes.  To be fair, that's kind of hella slow.  Nobody who can actually run for an entire marathon would ever finish that slow.  But I am a slow runner.  I usually finish towards the back of the pack, with what I like to call The Stragglers Brigade.  We're a rag-tag assortment of folks, comprised of everything from your 70 year old power walkers to the 20-somethings who went out way too fast and are now struggling to walk to the finish.  I fall somewhere in the middle, since I'm not good at running year-round and usually have to start training from scratch once it's warm enough to go outside without a protective heated habitat.

But this year, I have a plan.  I am going to follow that plan, and it will lead me to glory.  Or as much glory as I can take from a 5:30:00 marathon finish.

That's all for today, folks.  I hope you don't mind these ramblings, because I find them too amusing to stop.

Take care, and we'll see you next time.

Meowfully yours,
Marley