see jane run 2010

so, i learned a good running lesson this month. it is not a good idea to run a half marathon with zero training.

but that doesn't stop me from doing it.

{shelbi half #1, maren half #10}

back in january, my friend shelbi came to me and said, "maren, you've inspired me. i went running for the first time this morning. and i went four miles. i felt great!"

um, you basically are a rock star in my book if you can just run four miles cold turkey and feel great. it took me awhile to build up to that. sure, i can do it now after a few years of running at least that a few times each week. but when i first started? no way. plus, i inspired her? how cool is that!?

anyway, back to shelbi. she was on fire. so we decided if she was already at four miles, she could easily train for the see jane run half marathon in june. no problem.

so she signed up. she trained.

i didn't sign up. i didn't train.

two weeks before the race, we had another conversation that went something like this:

shelbi: "maren, are you still running the see jane half?"
maren: "um, i wasn't planning on it. did you need someone to run with you?"
shelbi: "i'm just a little nervous since it's my first race, and no one else runs my pace, but i should be fine."
maren: "how about, if i can run 10 miles this weekend and live to tell the tale, i'll run see jane with you in two weeks."
shelbi: "ok."

end conversation. begin maren's stupidity. i had just gotten back from hawaii and had done nothing but lounge for at least a week. i hadn't run in a month. i was sick {really, truly. fever, cough, headache, runny nose sick}.

but i ran 10 miles. i was slow. it was ugly. i felt horrible. but i finished. and i'm pretty sure it elongated my sickness for a few days. but by thursday i was feeling better.

and then on saturday i ran see jane. and actually, i felt great. i stayed with shelbi the entire time. i had no time goals. i just wanted to help her finish. we were steady. she was strong. and we did it! like i said: rock star.