My main goal for 2015 is to complete a full marathon. I enjoy running, however I do not think I will make a habit out of 26.2 miles. So as a result I wanted to make sure if this was my only one, that I would make it memorable. My original thoughts were to run the NYC Marathon. Living in Philadelphia, logistically it made more sense. However the lottery came and went and I was not selected. Not to my dismay, because with only an 18% chance I didn’t hold out much hope.
So I looked at other options, and Chicago was always plan B. Not that the NY Marathon is superior to Chicago, I just knew if I was going to run Chicago it would require booking flights, an extended hotel stay, etc. Regardless, today I officially made the decision I would run in the Chicago Marathon.
I am excited about this for a few reasons. The first is that Chicago is one of the few major cities in the United States that I have never visited. I have always heard good things and I would love to. I participate in a twitter chat weekly known as #BibChat, hosted by the account BibRave. And the majority of the participants are based in the Chicago area so I get to hear how great of a running community it is. So I am looking forward to experiencing that first hand.
The other reason I am so exited is because this is the Chicago Marathon! It is one of the top Marathons across the country. It reminds me of a quote I always tell myself: “There will be days you don’t think you can run a marathon. There will be a lifetime of knowing you have.” Years from now after the race is over and the medal has collected dust, I will always be able to remember that time I flew half way across the country and ran in one of the biggest Marathons the USA has to offer.
In doing all of this, I have also decided to run for charity. Specifically I have teamed up with the Organization For Autism Research, the same group I ran a triathlon for last year. I can’t lie, part of this decision was made selfishly. Chicago is also lottery based, so I do not feel like going through that again. I do not know the percentage of participants who get in the lottery, but I imagine, like NY, it is low. So in an effort to skip to the front of the line I am guaranteeing my entry through this charity. Of course by being selfish I am also helping raise at minimum $1,000 for this great organization. Rough, I know.
If you are open to donating to my cause feel free to visit my fundraising page here. The minimum to run will be $1,000. Between my own personal donations and employer matches I will be raising the majority of the funds myself. So I am not asking you to donate so you can help me skip the lottery. Just asking you to donate out of the goodness of your heart. If I have to donate the entire $1,000 I will, the cause means that much to me.
So here I am, only 7 months away from finishing a full marathon! If you told me in 2013 I would be writing this post I would have thought you were an idiot. But for the past year and a half I have put my head down and just paved a path forward. Running has made a huge impact in my life and I am excited for the next steps!
Running for the Average Joe 