A few months ago I decided I wanted to start jogging. My goal was to be able to run for 45 minutes to an hour; basically to be able to run a 5K without walking. My sis started running about 7 years ago, and competed in a half marathon last April. She warned me that running is contagious and I will find myself running in longer and longer races. I've told her many times how crazy she is.
One of my best friends, Terra, is also a runner. She has run in 4 marathons. Her current goal is to quailfy for, and run in, the Boston marathon. I've said MANY, MANY times that you couldn't pay me to run in a half marathon, much less a marathon. I've stated over and over that I think they both are CRAZY......then came "The Offer".
A few weeks ago I got a random text message from Terra that says: "Jason (her husband) says that if you run/walk a marathon he will pay for us to go on vacation anywhere."
Me: "Done. Who's paying the entry fee?" (For those of you who don't know, marathon entry fees can be STEEP.)
Terra: "Jason says he's paying for the vacation. For a reward like that I'll pay the fee."
The conversation went on from there and took some time to iron out the details, but here they are:
1) I have to run/walk I can't walk the entire thing.
2) I have to enter, and complete, an official marathon. (My theory is that he wants to be able to see the results on the internet. I honestly don't understand why he wants proof. Don't you trust me Jason? ;)
3) We can't go to Jamaica. (which is fine because we don't have interest in going there anyway.) Terra did give him the option to limit "anywhere", but he is standing by his original statement.
There is a very popular and new method of running marathons called the "run/walk method". The way it works is you run for x amount of time then walk for y amount of time for the ENTIRE marathon. You don't wait until you are tired to begin walking. It isn't as hard on your body and people are still qualifying for the Boston Marathon using this technique. This is the method I will be using.
I will be participating in the Utah Valley Marathon in June, 2011. It is 27 weeks from when this deal was made. I found a marathon training program that is 26 weeks long, and I already had a couch to 5K training program that is 9 weeks long. I have merged the 2 together and am currently very happy with the results.
Terra was in Arizona this past weekend to run the Tucson Marathon. While she was here we discussed where we should go on our vacation to ANYWHERE. We are currently planning on ....... drum roll please .......TOKYO!
Anyone who has been there please contact me. I need all the help/info I can get. :)
My starting pace is a 16:12 min/mile using the run/walk method. I need to get it down to a 13:45 min/mile to finish the Utah Valley Marathon in time to get my medal (which every runner knows is the only reason to run a marathon, besides the shirt). I'm confident I can cut 2:30 minutes off my time in the next 27 weeks.
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