Our bonding time

Since elementary school I have hated running. I remember weeks before having to run the mile in gym class getting that sick feeling in my stomach even at the thought of heading over to our track. Every bit of me dreaded it. So, how ironic is it that when I didn't make the basketball or field hockey team, I decided to run track and cross country? My dad really encouraged me to do sports... maybe it was because my brothers called me Moby Dick? Who knows. Either way, they figured I needed to stop eating Little Debbie cakes after school and start doing something. Unfortunately for the track and cross country coach, they don't cut anyone, so they got stuck with me.

Ever since then, I have this love-hate relationship with running. I swear its addicting. There are days that I dread doing it, but then after I'm done I'm so happy I went. Dan never understood why I ran- unless he was chasing after a ball or running toward a base, he didn't see the point. So, I was shocked when we moved to Arlington Heights and after seeing an ad for the Walter Payton Race (about 9 miles- how many yards he rushed during his football career) he asked me if I wanted to do it. I had never run that far, and never really wanted to. But, if Dan wanted to do this with me- I totally couldn't pass up that opportunity! Well, after that race in the fall of 08, we decided to train for the Chicago half marathon in September of 09, and now we're running another one in Indianapolis in a month! And what's even crazy is how good Dan is at running- don't you hate those people who are naturally good at things? Yep that's Dan. Take for instance this past weekend after no training he ran 9 miles with me. Really? It's just not fair.

But, it has provided a LOT of bonding for us. Dan can talk more than I can when we run.. so I just let him talk and it distracts me from the pain! Last year on one of our long runs he gave me a run down of every presidential candidate and all the issues involved in the election. It was very enlightening. So, our big news is that we're going to run a Marathon in the fall. Lord willing I will finish. Then, Dan will finally get his 26.2 sticker on his Jeep. Then he will probably never run another race again lol. We missed the entry for the Chicago marathon because it filled up in record time this year, so we're looking at other possibilities. Stay tuned to figure out where we go! (Dan's number one choice is Alaska...)