Remember when I said I was going to run a marathon this year?
Well, I’ve already picked out the one I’m going to be doing and I plan on signing up next week after I get paid. Efficient, aren’t I? On 10/10/10 me and Lisa are running the Portland Marathon in Portland, Oregon!
That’s right. I’m signing up to run a marathon. A marathon. 26.2 miles. 42.2 kilometres. Yikes!
Like seriously, who is this girl? A year ago I was just training to run my first half-marathon and I’ve since ran THREE and I’m signed up for a FOURTH in March and now I’m talking about doing a full-marathon. Craziness, I know!
I blame it on the blogs. I’ve been adding more and more “running” blogs to my reader and whenever I read about a blogger training for and/or doing a marathon, I feel kinda jealous! I want to train for a marathon. I want to put in 40-50 mile weeks and lose a toenail, damn it! Blogs like this one, this one, this one, this one and this one (and many more) have inspired me to JUST DO IT! So I am.
So, ya, it’s 10 months away. But, you know what, 10 months is going to go by before I know it. And I’m just so excited to have a goal in mind. Right now I am training for the Kelowna Campus-to-Campus Half-Marathon, which I hope to run in under two hours - then I’ll be taking off to Europe for three weeks and probably not running at all. From May 10 (when I get back to Canada) to June 1 I will try to build some of my fitness back up again. And in June I will start a 16-week training plan for the full! I hope I don’t lose too much fitness while I’m in Europe, do you think I will?
So, this summer this blog might turn into a bit of a running blog. Don’t hate me, non-runners. Just sayin’
Oh, and the other MAJOR POINT I want to make with this post is:
Who wants to join us?
Seriously, though why not throw Portland on your fall marathon schedule and come on up (or down depending on where you’re located) and meet us and run with us. It could be will be funnn! And if your not a marathoner, Portland is offering a half-marathon for the first year ever in 2010! So you could come do the half-marathon. Or you could just come make signs and cheer us on, or you know, meet us and then sleep in the hotel while we go run 26.2 miles. Whatevers your thing. And you’d get to meet ME and LISA! So really what other reasons do you need?
And my last point is….
….Look at how pretty Portland is! According to google images anyways (I’ve never been).
{Image found here}
{ 42 comments… read them below or add one }
You will walk EVERYWHERE in Europe so I doubt you will lose much fitness. Sounds like an awesome goal but it would be better if it was Portland Maine!
Sounds awesome!! It will definitely give you a new goal to reach for. I LOVED reading all of the WDW marathon recap posts. I mean, I’m no runner but I can appreciate the hard work and dedication. Thanks for the new blog suggestions. Can’t wait to see the new direction your blog…and life…is going to take <3
That is awesome! I do not have the gonads to run a full marathon yet.
I want to go to Portland! Too far and Im running the Myrtle Beach Half in October.
Looks like a ton of fun. I would love nothing more than to meet you and Lisa, but unfortunately I’d never be able to travel across the country in October, as I have no time off whatsoever. But, I will definitely be cheering you on from here!
Yea! Great post! Can’t wait!
This is going to be so much fun!
Oh, and I didn’t lose any toe nails when I did my last marathon.
Have fun!
Good for you girl!! Maybe I should sign up for my half marathon now too … even though it is 9 months away. I guess it would motivate me to get my butt in gear!
So exciting! I dont know if I could run a marathon. its so long!
That looks BEAUTIFUL!! I wish I lived closer and I’d come cheer you guys on!!
Oh my gosh!!!! You’re going to be in Portland, I totally want to meet you! And you’re going to be there while I’m in school and not at home in New York, so it works out perfectly. I don’t think that I’ll be at either marathon or half-marathon level at that point, but I totally want to meet up with you.
Also, Portland is an awesome city! It may be drizzly season by October, but it’s still really pretty.
Congrats to you for signing up to do this together, thats very exciting!
YES! Don’t you Love that feeling, when you click “register” and it’s just DONE??
So excited for you!!! I think you picked a great race too, it should be gorgeous scenery and such a fun trip to look forward to 
I’ve always wanted to go to Portland.
Depending on how the May race goes I may give this one a shot =)
And if not, maybe I’ll just come cheer you on!
I’m sure you’ll be just fine while you’re in Europe cause I bet you do a lot of walking and etc which will help you stay close to fitness!
YAAAAAAAAAY!!!!
You’re going to my hometown!!! ish… (I’m from a suburb, but worked, attended a portion of my senior year in college, and spent a lot of time in P-town or PDX as well call it). IT IS AWESOME. And you’re going *just* early enough that you might actually see some sun! November thru March is basically just rain and clouds. But there are some nice days in October so I’m crossing my fingers for you.
When we get closer I will give you a list of things you can do in Portland. Please give me at least one day where I can tell you what to see and where to eat, please pretty please?
My dad’s birthday is actually October 11… maybe I should go home??? Hmm. I’ll think. ;0)
Good luck w/ training!!
Umm…I’ll be joining you in spirit! Gee, I’d better get going on running my first 5k this year, hey? I’m getting left in the dust here…;)
You’re probably going to walk EVERYWHERE in Europe. I don’t think fitness will be too much of an issue.
i totally would do the half marathon… but alas that’s 5 days before the wedding! but i’ll cheer you on in spirit!
I’m sure with amount of walking you and Eric will be doing while in Europe that you won’t loose much of your fitness routine
Seriously Amber you are so inspiring to me!! I cannnnnnnnnot wait to get back running, i’ve been craving it this past month like nothing else……just have to wait at least another 6 months before i will be doing long hard runs again.
I love Portland, we have family there! Its so beautiful!! Steve might be interested in the 10/10/10….be and the baby will just have to watch
Ooh, it looks beautiful! So jealous you and Lisa are meeting, but I’m def. not a marthon kind of person! I’ll be cheering you on from VA though!
Whoo hoo congrats for taking the plunge and deciding to train for a full marathon! That rocks. I’d love to race with you, but it’s a teeny bit too far away from me (aka the other side of the country lol!)
Awww, this is going to be a great place to run! HOW PRETTY! I’m also jealous you get to meet Lisa! Ahhhh! If I could run a marathon I would totally fly out there and do it to… buuuuuuut… not this year.
I really hope you don’t lose a toenail though! That sounds awful!
I just read Lisa’s post about this, lol.
I hope it goes really well for you guys - like I said on her blog, it’ll be a really good incentive to the both of you, knowing that you’ll be meeting up and running together.
Although I’m not a runner, I look forward to reading both of your blogs on the topic.
Good luck!
YAY for marathon training! i’m excited to follow you on your journey to number 1!!! its an amazing experience!
That’s awesome!! I can’t wait to visit Portland one day, maybe I’ll try to plan my trip in October??
You can totally do it. You are ready.
When you get ready to train don’t hesitate to ask me a million questions. You will have them and between Aron and I we will have answers. Go get em girl. It’s going to be such a fun adventure.
girl, you are simply amazing. you’re like the Energizer Bunny… you keep going and going… and running and running!
as for running with you, I’m gonna have to pass (haha, as in pass out if I did!) but I’d love to go to Portland if I had the time and the money! seriously, I’ve only heard good things about Portland. should be a fun time!
I spent 5 days in Portland this summer and fell in love. Not only do I want to come run the marathon there, I think I could so move and live there! You will love it. I’m probably not in a position to be able to get out there this year for the race, but if anything changes I’ll let you know. I have to believe you’ve made a good choice on this one. I’m excited for you!
i’ve not yet lost a toenail. portland is going to be amazing! i’ve never been there either, but it’s certainly on my short list of places to visit. it is beautiful and very bike friendly.
OMG!!!!!!! AHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!! How exciting!!! That is uber awesome girl! You are going to do great and you have endless amounts of resources, support and inspiration from all of us! You have quite the race schedule stacked up too! I’m so excited for you!!!
Ah, lucky you!!!!!!
You and Lisa are going to have such fun! I’m still hoping that I will be able to make it but if not you know that I will be with you both in spirit!
And personally, I will absolutely adore reading your blog even when it morphs into a running one
You know, that’s actually what made me love your blog in the first place! I read every single post that had to do with running (thanks for the tags :P) and reading about your growing love for it made ME want to love and work hard at becoming a runner - so thanks!! 
Hey girl, I know it’s been a long time but I saw your twitter update and it caught my attention because I am from Oregon! The Portland marathon is amazing, I know a lot of people who have participated and they have all had a great time. Portland is gorgeous and a great city to visit. Good luck training! I know you’ll do great!
Guess who just registered??? ME!
Goooooo Amber! Good for you, that’s going to be such a fun and exciting challenge in a pretty city.
GAH! Now you’re making me want to do a full too! And I can’t even seem to get through training for a half without being sidelined for injury! That’s SO awesome though! I’ll definitely be cheering you on! And I’m sure with all the walking you’ll do in Europe you won’t lose much fitness. I’m excited for you!
Hey, I’m already committed to a Half Marathon on the exact same day as the Portland Marathon!
But I am looking forward to hearing about your training and picking up tips
Yea for first marathons!!! You are going to love (almost) every minute of your training and I can’t wait to read all about it. Congratulations!
Awesome! My first marathon was exhilarating and humbling. My second was intense, horrible, and wonderful. Then I decided to run an ultra-marathon and found out just how far I could push my body. That day, it was 34 miles…
Wow, how amazing! I am thinking about running a half-marathon in December but that just seems like crazy talk. I’m have a 5K scheduled for March and want to start running races more. Maybe 2011 will be my year for a marathon!
I can’t wait to hear more about your training!
how about i make you a sign to wear around your neck, since i wont be able to go? ill just send it with you. dont worry, it wont interfere with your running
Good for you! That’s awesome, and I cannot wait to hear all about it.
I’d love to join you, but I don’t think a marathon is in the cards for me this year. I’ve got to start running again, and we’ll see how it goes. And I have a feeling that it’s going to go slooooowly.
I can’t even imagine having to train for and then run an actual marathon. Good luck!
You will LOVE Portland
I basically grew up in Oregon (in the Valley, though) and it’s a really fun city. And like another commenter said, you might just beat the rainy season 
Oh, how awesome! And I love Portland. It’s a great city for a marathon.