My New Goal: NWM 2009!

In 2007, my introduction to the world of racing and half-marathon training started with the SF Nike Women's Half Marathon. And I can honestly say that the whole experience: the training, the way I eat, and the race itself changed my life. It got me hooked on to a sporty, active, healthy lifestyle. So, I wanted to make that experience an annual tradition for as long as I lived in Northern California. But, the popularity of that particular race forced the organizers to institute a lottery to sign up for it. I can definitely understand it's popularity, because who wouldn't be enticed into running a marathon that offered free massages, chocolates, a Tiffany's necklace, and countless other freebies? I mean, if you're going to put yourself through that torture, there had better be a good reward, right?

Unfortunately, that also meant I couldn't make it an annual tradition because it's not like I'm going to win the lottery every year. So, in 2008, I decided to find other marathons to run, while trying to improve my performance. I started reading the Runner's World magazine, browsed the runner's forums online, and invested in a better pair of running shoes. It's suffice to say that I did improve my technique and nutrition from all that research. But, my finishing times for the next two races were abysmal compared to NWM '07.

But today, I'm happy to announce that I made it through the 2009 lottery a couple of days ago and am now locked in to run my favorite race again this year! And believe me, I can already tell I'm coming back with a vengeance. In the last couple of days, I've already logged over 10 miles, and I haven't slowed down yet. It's like this race has put a fire under my butt, and I'm running with the same exuberance that I originally trained with in 2007. This year I'm also adding a personal time goal. If I cross that finish line in under 2 hours and 30 minutes, I'll be ridiculously happy. Wish me luck, folks!