Well, it is almost that time of the year:  Fall race season.  (NEVER thought I would be saying that a couple of years ago).  I am currently training for my second Walt Disney World Marathon in January.  Luckily, many of the half marathons through the end of the year coincide with long training runs.  I know, the long runs are supposed to be long and slow.  However, it is much easier to get pumped for a long run when it is a half marathon with a couple thousand other folks and all the excitement that goes along with it.

At our first couple of half marathons, we thought all those folks running long warm ups of a mile or more were crazy.  Well, now we are those people, except we will be running 2-5 miles extra before a couple of our races to meet our long run distance goal.  And yes, we will run that before the race, because who wants to keep running once you get to the finish line?  I just hope the weather cooperates.

So, we will be running at least 5, count ’em 5, half marathons by the end of the year.  I look back at how daunting the thought of that first one was.  I thought there was no way I could do it.  Now, if all goes as planned, we will have run a marathon, a 10 miler, two 10Ks, and 7 half marathons this year.  That is crazy stuff.  Crazy fun stuff!

This summer marks our second year of running.  It is amazing how far we have come and how we have been able to stick to it.  We are not fast and hang out mid-pack, but we sure have fun.   It serves as a reminder that if we put our mind to it, there really is nothing that is out of reach.  If a larger-than-most guy like me can run a dozen half marathons, anything is possible.  If an anti-runner like me can be convinced to run, and eventually be converted to a runner, anything is possible.  If I can successfully complete that WDW Marathon in a respectable time in January, anything is possible.

So here’s to the fall race season.  Hopefully it is filled with new adventures, new goals, and a lot of fun.