only *progressively* crazy!

If you've ever discussed such things with me, you've probably heard me proclaim that "marathons are for crazy people!" and I have not changed my mind at all on that.  Today, after I ran two laps at the track at Kezar, I said to my pal/trainer Sharon that I have no idea how people run long distances at all because oh lord, it is so very very boring to run.  And while my heart rate was totally fine and my shin splints, for once, were totally fine, I realized that it was highly unlikely I'd ever get into the zone or the zen or whatever it is people say they get into.  Nope. No distances for me.

But then I thought "you know, I could probably run a 5k, just to prove I can" and at that I recognized that I'm at the top of that slippery slope that turns people into runners (or in my case, really really not slippery at all because I'll never ever be a runner, I promise) and I googled "5k san francisco" and found that the SF Marathon has an option they call the "progressive marathon", where you basically run 23.1 miles sometime before the race day and then on the race day you run the 5k and voila! You've completed a marathon! Go you!  Clever, huh?

So hey, why not?  There are 138 days between now and the SF Marathon.  If I run a mile on 23 of those days (plus an extra block at some point), and sit on my ass for the other 115 days, and then show up on July 29th and run that 5k, I'll be an official progressive marathoner, or, as described above, officially progressively crazy.

I will be raising no money or awareness or anything with my 115 days of ass-sitting, punctuated by some occasional running, but that should not stop you from encouraging me.  And since so many of you do your best encouragement by mocking, feel free.  You can come encourage/mock me in person on July 29th too, if you like.  I'll be there, I think.