Chicago, Chicago

Well, here we are--a full year later--and I'm debating the same exact question: Do I sign up for the Chicago Marathon? Let's face it: Last year's registration fee was wasted money. And at $135 a pop, the marathon ain't cheap. But last year also had a lot of unexpected surprises: putting our condo on the market, packing our wordly possessions, house hunting, living with the in-laws, the rehab from hell. It probably isn't that shocking that I didn't manage to fit marathon training in on top of all that.

The truth is, when I consider the marathon, I can think of lots and lots of reasons not to run it:

1. I already feel incredibly time-crunched; that probably isn't going to change any time soon.
2. I already feel like I don't spend enough time with the children; running 35 miles a week probably won't help that.
3. We've still got plenty of stuff to do on the house.
4. Did I mention that I just don't really have a lot of time?
5. And then there's the whole working two jobs things. (Hmm, this probably also counts in the "not enough time" category.
6. Sometimes the thought of a 16-mile run fills me with dread. Don't real runners relish the thought of 16-mile runs on 90-degree days?
7. Last year's DNS felt like a failure, and I don't want to set myself up to fail at this again.
8. I'm really just not that fast. And that makes me wonder if people who are just not that fast should even bother with the marathon.
9.-10. Yep, I'm back to the whole time thing.

And yet, I'll be honest: I really kind of want to run it. I can't explain why. I can't decide if I feel like I have something to prove to myself after last year's DNS. Or if I just feel like a marathon is the next logical step after three half-marathons. Or if I am just a masochist and need to have the most punishing schedule possible so that I always have something to complain about.

I'm reading Run Less, Run Faster right now--three days of quality running workouts a week plus two days of cross-training. It seems doable. But then, last year's marathon training plan seemed doable too. Lots of things seem doable on paper.

I don't know. I'm probably going to sign up. I'm probably also crazy.