So I’m running. Training in fact. I’m going to run a marathon at some point…but a half-marathon to start. The White Rock is in December and I need to get ready.

Running is not something I have ever done very well, preferring things like cycling. Mostly because I’m kinda fat now and it takes a lot of extra energy to bounce around which a nice smooth bike ride doesn’t require. Sure I have to push all that extra weight up hills but I’d have to do that when running anyway.

How’d a mostly-sedentary overweight nerd like me decide to take on something that drastic you ask? Well… my Dad had always wanted to run a Marathon. He trained using this book. He then went on to run the Bonn “Rheinenergie” marathon on April 22, 2007. Well here’s the thing… he lost a lot of weight in the process and is kinda fit now. I know it impressed my mom. She’s totally not a runner… or much of a work out inspired kind of person, but she decided to run a half-marathon this year. She started training several weeks ago.

Long story short: She challenged me to do it with her. I can’t exactly let my mom beat me. I gotta do it. We picked the Whiterock Marathon on December 9th and she then sent me a copy of the book my Dad used to train.

That didn’t feel like enough though. My mom lives out in Alabama so she’s training far from here. I need some motivation closer to home too. So I went to work and challenged a coworker. He has been talking about wanting to do it for almost as long as I’ve known him so he seemed like an idea candidate to slog through weeks of training with me and compare notes about things like nipple irritation and thigh lubrication. He agreed and started his training. Today he counted out the weeks. We’ve got 18 weeks to get ready.

Excellent. The peer pressure crew is assembled.