Long Distance Bug

I'm wrestling with the desire to run a marathon. I've been flip-flopping on the issue for the last couple of weeks. There is still plenty of time to train for a Fall marathon. The Baystate Marathon in October in particular has caught my eye. It's a flat, quick course. It's in Lowell so, it's not much to travel. Most marathon experts recommend anywhere between six to twelve months of base training before attempting the Big One. I've been regularly exercising on Nordic track & rowing for 3 years prior to resuming running in April. That's got to count for something.

I'm scheduled to run a half marathon in Hollis, NH in September. Good. There is an event called the Jay Mountain Marathon taking place the same weekend I'm in Vermont on the annual "guys" camping trip. It's over three hours away from where I'm staying. It's an 18 mile long "half" marathon up a mountain. It supposedly takes a good marathoner about 3 hours to complete. I think I'll pass this year.

I thew the idea of running the Disneyworld Marathon at my brother, who runs a website related to all things Disney. I am having second thoughts though. That event is in Orlando in January. I'm not worried about the race itself but, the training preceding it is worrisome. New England winters are fickled; I can't count on December weather cooperating with my long run scheduling.

If I don't run a marathon this Fall, I'll have to wait to the Spring of '07. Do I want to wait that long? Do I have to wait that long?

What is the appeal of doing a marathon anyway? What's wrong with a 10k? For that matter why the abundance of 5k races these days? When I was running back in the 80's, 5-milers & 10k's dominated the running scene. I don't remember any shorter events. Or was I just a distance snob & didn't notice the small events? I stopped running marathons for a reason. What was it?

I don't know why I do half the things I do. Maybe I'm just not a deep thinker. Maybe Yoda had it right. "Do or do not."