So.  Tomorrow I’m going to start this.  I’m going to run 52 half marathons in 52 weeks and this “place”, this blog, is just a place for me to document the journey.

Why don’t I just post my runs to my Facebook like everyone else?  I was going to but then I thought of two reasons why it might be cool to do it here:

1. Maybe more than just the friends I know right now would be interested in this.  I mean it’s not the most amazing thing in the world, but for someone else who is like me, doing this represents something hard and requires them to become someone who they are not.  (In a good caterpillar to butterfly way, not a Anakin Skywalker to Darth Vader sort of way.)  Perhaps this archive would be a useful source of inspiration or information for them.
2. If I publish my thoughts here, they will persist free of the clutter that is my timeline.  Folks could come by long after I’m done and read at their leisure (or not).  Also I need less reasons to visit Facebook.  Not more.

So with that out of the way I can answer the “why” question.  It’s really simple (right now) – I’m doing this because I want to exercise my ability to consistently execute.  I believe that if I do this I will be able to more consistently execute anything that I set my mind to.

“I’m doing this because I want to exercise my ability to consistently execute.” — Me.  I said that.

If you know me, you know that I’ve done longer races, triathlons, long distance open water swims (once), but you also know that what I really crave is the ability to maintain my desire to execute (anything) without the FEAR of some massive goal so scary that I just *have* to train or it will be a disaster.  No – I want to be able to train consistently (or practice, or write, or do anything) simply because I choose to.

OK, yes, I’m technically always choosing to train regardless of the goal but catch me in the off season and you’ll see me on the couch binge watching Shameless with a bag of carrots or snap peas on my lap instead of on the road putting in the work.

AND yes, perhaps I’m kidding myself into thinking this isn’t just another big scary goal to keep me moving but you know what… even if it is I still think I’ll be better off and closer to being the person I want to be than if I don’t do it.  Enough existentialism – what’s the actual challenge?

I chose 13.1 miles because *for Me* (right now):

• It is a distance that I can run every week without injuring myself.
• It is a distance I can run without taking a massive amount of time away from my family and friends.

In order to reach my goal of becoming more consistent I need to set up some rules around this thing.  I can’t just go running a 13.1 whenever I feel like it (2 or three this week, none the next) and expect to come out of this more disciplined.  So – here come some rules (that I arbitrarily made up to suit myself):

1.  Run one 13.1 mile run no earlier than Friday evening (5pm) and no later than Sunday evening ( 10pm) on any given weekend.
2. I can combine any race with additional miles (before or after the race) to total 13.1 miles
3. I can run a longer distance than 13.1 miles and count it as one 13.1.

That’s all I can think of for rules.  If you think of some more that might be fun, let me know!!

Without you reading I’m just a tree falling in the woods.  Ouch.  SO Thanks!