RAK half marathon - 122 days until the big day!

Two years ago I ran the HiSeoul Half Marathon.

This weekend I read in TheNational saturday magazine an honest article about running by Fatima al Shamsi. She writes, "It has been three weeks now since I accepted the challenge [of running a half marathon] and one of the most important things I've learnt is that running is quite a horrible thing. Don't get me wrong: the gratification and satisfaction you get just a few moments after you stop and which last for the rest of the day are amazing. But from the moment you start until the moment you allow your poor, panting body to rest, you are miserable. I have asked every person I know who works out regularly what their thoughts are on running, and they all agree."

It's true. I hate running. But my love for the feeling when I'm finished makes it all worth it. It takes two years to get over the pain of a half marathon. I know this because two years and twelve days after my first half, I've signed up for my second: the RAK half marathon. Hopefully I'll beat my time of 2:13:50... (that was for 21.0975km, the Korean half was actually 23.63km and took me 2:30:17... i must've slowed down a lot for those last 2 1/2 km... though I did "run" the entire way!!!) I'm hoping to sucker in a friend or two... or at least a supporter. Why am I doing this? I'm not sure. Maybe because I'm jobless, broke, and running is free and something that I can control. Or maybe because in the thousands of photos of the Korean half, there aren't any of me and I'm not sure if I actually did it... or maybe I'm just lazy and going to quit halfway through the marathon.

When I went to fill out the registration form, the lady laughed and asked me if the application was for me??? Apparently I was the first girl to apply through this store though last year there were 330 women to the 649 men. Maybe there's a chance for me to place... this race does boast the largest prize purse! 122 days until the big day, will I be prepared?

Moral of the story: Blame Lana, she watched me sign up without stopping me... and she doesn't even like coffee!!