The Mysterious Announcement

 Drumroll please… And the mysterious announcement that no one was really waiting with baited breathe for… tomorrow Sunday October 4 (as close as I am going to get to my 3 year weight loss anniversary that is October 5) … in honor of this epic 3 year journey I have been on, I will in fact be lining up at the starting corrals to run the 2015 Portland Marathon.

The reason for all the secrecy and skirting around it is fairly simple. What I did was not exactly encouraged, in fact, its slightly forbidden but I’m going to go with it anyway.  Let me explain.  I always knew the Portland Marathon was occurring on October 5 and even before we went to Maui I toyed with the idea of signing up for it. But I really didn’t want to sign up for another marathon exactly 2 weeks after running my first without having actually run one.  I didn’t know how I would ultimately fair or feel about it.  I didn’t know if it was going to be so awful that I wouldn’t  want to run another one for a long time.  We all know how it turned out now.  And more than anything the moment I crossed the finish line. Actually, somewhere after about 3 hours of running on the course my mind started drifting to the Portland Marathon.  Because it was too damned hot out there and I REALLY wanted another crack at this marathon in cooler weather.

As soon as I crossed the line I was relieved yes, and then sick of course, but mentally I was thinking about doing it again. Soon. To run the whole damned thing.  I just want the opportunity to see what I can really do when heat and humidity aren’t so ridiculous that I can no longer function.  So back to Portland Marathon.  I knew fairly instantly after finishing that my body felt great. My legs were fine.  I did not wake up sore the next day. I felt great.  By Wednesday I was already out on an epic crazy jungle hike adventure.  My body can handle 26.2 miles.  Let’s Portland Marathon!  Except…. Well… except, registration was closed of course.

Registration was also expensive. It’s like $160 to run.  That’s steep honestly.  But whatever.  I would have paid it.  Too late to register of course.  They have a strict no transfer policy. Oh you can buy your way in thru a charity, that costs $300 each.  Yeah, Chris & I are NOT paying $600 to run the marathon.  So enter slightly bad option.  What happens if you sign up for a marathon months before and you become injured or can’t complete said distance. Its non-refundable, non-transferable.  You are out the money, right?  People sell their bibs on craigslist.  Again, totally maybe not ethical but it happens.  Did a quick craigslist search and bingo, there it was, the listing I was after.  2 race bibs for sale, one male, one female.  $150 for BOTH.  Done.

The secrecy comes into play that I had to make sure that it was all going to go down and I’d actually have the bibs in my hand to run.  The said couple has to go to the expo and pick up their own bibs, using their ID.  Am I going to hell for this?  No, probably not.  I just want to run the damned marathon.  I don’t care that technically there will be no official proof of it. I will know I did it. I will have the finishers medal. Which is fabulous by the way.  I will get all the swag and gear so who really cares?  I just want another crack at 26.2 before the season shifts and there aren’t any more.  Honestly this is my last real shot in the area, as there isn’t many other options. Believe me, I searched for them. 

Doesn’t matter.  Tomorrow, October 4, I will in fact run 26.2 miles.  I am going to leave out the bib acquiring story from all of social media. Best to not play up that part.  It’s our secret, okay?  I just wanted to run.  I just wanted the bib.  And here were two perfectly lovely bibs with people who paid their money who aren’t going to run.  Makes sense to me. I just want to run my 26.2 miles while my body is still trained for it.  I don’t need to retrain right now. I am ready.  And I am slightly desperate to get another crack at it really.  So there you have it.  2015 Portland Marathon is on the agenda.  In exactly 2 weeks’ time I will have run 2 freaking marathons. Because yes, I am that  crazy. Because yes, once my mind is set, I am that undeniable freight train.

Its honestly like once I realize I am capable and can do something, I am full speed ahead.  I just want to run 26.2, just really RUN pretty much every step.  I will be satisfied with whatever the outcome or time is, so long as I ran most all of it.  Like 98% Is my goal.  Plus what an epic way to celebrate my 3 year anniversary.  Crossing the finish line of the Portland marathon.  I just keep upping the ante don’t I? 

Wish me luck. Turns out 2015 is the year of the marathon x 2.

Oh, and because, hello, look at this gorgeous medal.

 

And they do this awesome thing where you get a matching coin of it! and a matching pendant so I guess I could get a chain and wear it as a necklace. Cool beans!