Looking up at my bulletin board reminds me that DD and I have yet to officially sign up for the Cleveland Marathon. I see 4 Team in Training pins lined up. Three of the pins say 100 and one says TRI. I need the one that says 13.1.

This is a really big step. Actually it’s an absolute ton of little steps.  DD and I completed our first triathlon in May this year. I walked 99 percent of the run portion of the triathlon. I’ve never run more than 3 miles together in my entire life.

So, why the hell would I ever sign up to run a marathon? I want to run again. Wait, let me rephrase that….I want to be in the kind of shape I was in when I used to run. Just doing 2 or 3 weeks of Couch to 5k has proved that I can get there if I really focus.

Raising money for the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society is another huge part of this. This will be the 5th Team in Training event for DD and I. I’m sure it won’t be our last.

Team in Training is the world’s largest charity sports training program. It raises money for the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society. Enormous amounts of money, $69 million dollars in 2009 alone. That makes the $33,000 DD and I have raised over 5 years look like a teaspoon in the ocean.

You get bragging rights in Team in Training if you complete one of each their endurance events. Your categories are 100 mile bike ride, Olympic Triathlon and Half or Full Marathon. We’ve done 3 bike rides and the triathlon.  To achieve the coveted “Triple Crown” we also have to do the marathon.

We have to do the marathon.

So, the next question is…who else wants to do this with us?