yeah, I’m actually doing this

“Are you as terrified as I am??????”

yup

I am.  I am terrified because I’ve never even run a 5K let alone a marathon.  I am terrified because while my commitment is to raise $1,500 I’d really like to raise $2,620 ($100/mile) and I’ve never really been a fundraiser.

But, I’m in, and when I commit to something I am in 100% and I have a plan.

No, I have never run a race but I have been fit before and I know that you do not have to be a perfect specimen of physical fitness to run a marathon, there are a lot of really normal looking people who are finishers, there are some seriously old people who are marathon finishers.  When training begins this spring I will stick to it but for now I’m doing (a TON of running research) my best to get in shape.  I can do this.

Thankfully I’m not chasing a PR, this if my first marathon, I’ll earn a PR regardless.  I’d like to finish with a respectable time but finishing is my goal, if I turn out to be a fast runner that is just icing on the cake (I’d love to be in the top half of my age group).

No, I have never raised that much money before.  I’m sure that if I were asking for me I might feel bad but I’m asking people to support a really great cause.  I am running on Team Erika’s Lighthouse, an organization that educates communities about teen depression, eliminates the stigma associated with mental illness and empowers teens to take charge of their mental health.  This sits very close to me and I’m sure that pretty much anyone that I know either has or knows someone who has been effected by depression.  So I’m not asking people to give me money; I’m asking people to help shine some light on something that doesn’t need to be more than a temporary condition.  Teens have always had a lot going on; but talking with my daughters, it feels like even more now that ever.  In any case, I am passionate about young people and all of the potential that their futures hold.  If I can help any number of them know that tomorrow will be different and that they won’t always feel this way I think that it is well worth 26.2 miles.  Our fundraising pages are not yet set up; but when they are I’ll link it.  I won’t ask you to run 26.2 miles to help the teens in your life; but if you are welling to donate even your coffee money for the day, I’ll take it.