I decided this week to sign up for the Mercedes Half-Marathon on Feb. 12, 2006. I keep talking to people I know who are running in the race and I am going to feel sad if I don't participate. Plus, I feel confident that the weather is going to be in the mid 50s that day instead of the low 20s! Right???? Right!!!!

The longest road race I have run in is the New Milford 8 (in CT), so the half-marathon will be a nice accomplishment and hopefully a stepping stone on the way to a full marathon. I am going to ask my dad or younger sister to run the last three miles with me.

I'm going to get some help on IT band stretches to hopefully ward off any potential injury from increasing my mileage.

Apparently it takes a commitment to races to motivate me to train in a methodical manner.