Top 10 Reasons for picking the Philadelphia Marathon to accomplish this amazing feat:
10. The weather. I needed to pick a time of year and a climate that would give me a chilly day. I don't do heat when I am not running, let alone do heat for 26.2 miles. The weather in D.C. is too iffy when the National Marathon (March) and Marine Corps Marathon (October) is each year. The weather in Philly on November 20th averages 45 degrees with a high of 54 degrees. Um, can you say perfect?
9. Philadelphia is such a great city full of so many landmarks and wonderful architecture. While I've been to Philly a handful of times over the years, it will be a great feast on the eyes to run through the city and take it all in.
8. It's an easy drive to get there. Just 2.5 hours from where we live in Burke. No flying needed and it can easily be done the day before the race without having to adjust to a time difference or worry about a long road trip. Bonus: My in-laws have graciously offered to watch the kids and they live in Baltimore, which is on the way.
7. Since the marathon is 7 months away, I picked a race that gives me plenty of time to train for, and one that isn't too far from now that I will lose my focus.
6. I wanted to go away to a different city to run the race so that no one felt pressured to stand on the sidelines and cheer me on. I figured I'd show up with my husband (let him eat cheese steaks to his heart's content) and I'd run the 26.2 on my own. The last thing I wanted to do was take anyone away from their regularly scheduled life. Oh, silly me!! I now have Jen, Laura, Maria, and Maria's husband all running it (!!!!!!) and Stephanie, Kelly, my sister Lori and potentially a few others making the drive to come cheer me on and support us. To say I am blown away by this show of support is an understatement. I have the most amazing friends and family.
5. Philly has some wonderful Gluten-Free Italian restaurants at which to carb-load on pasta the night before.
4. When I was trying to decide whether I wanted to do this or not, I was not oblivious to the many signs that seemed to jump out at me, saying yes, this is what you need to do. 1. I was at the gym and picked up a Runner's World magazine (just a random issue) to get me through the 20 minutes on the stairclimber. On the cover was the headline "Why you should run the Philadelphia Marathon" Really!! 2. At our monthly Shabbat dinner that night, my friend Anna (who is a longtime runner) said she is running it even before I could voice that it was an idea I was tossing around.....how random is that!?!?! 3. The Philadelphia Marathon has one of the best courses for qualifying for Boston. Ha!! Not that I have any chance at all at doing this, but it says something about the course...not so hilly and fast. Yay! And 4. I might add that during the Cherry Blossom 10 Miler, there were so many runners wearing a Phila. Marathon shirt from 2010. There are "signs" everywhere!
3. The race is the Sunday before Thanksgiving. If I am still not able to walk by the time turkey day rolls around, Jeff will be off from work and able to take care of the kids.
2. The ROCKY STEPS! The start and finish line is at this famous museum. If there is even one bit of breath left in me at the end, I will be RUNNING up the Rocky steps in victory. Ok, maybe not running, possibly walking or more likely crawling by this point, but what a feeling it will be!!
1. I wanted a destination. I am only going to run a marathon once in my life. I didn't want to wake up and have it be an ordinary day, but first I need to go run 26.2 miles. I want this to be a big deal and create an event having to travel somewhere. I want to arrive and leave the city knowing that something amazing for me happened there.
So there you have it. It's not such a bad list, is it? You know, there is still time to join me.
Stay tuned for my plan on how to accomplish my goal.
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