Watch Out It’s Messy In Here

I remember lots of things.  Weird random facts I learned in 7th grade, the birthday of a girl I haven't been friends with since 8th grade, the phone number of my childhood best friend, or part of a colorguard routine I did hundreds of times back in high school.  I have many wonderful memories, like holding each of my children for the first time, the way it felt the first time I crossed a finish line at a race, my first kiss, the rush I used to get when performing in front of a crowd.  The funny things kids have said over the years, like one of them saying remembories, instead of memories. I also have many memories I wish I could forget.  The phone call on Thanksgiving morning telling me of a good friends death the night before, saying goodbye to the baby I never met, saying goodbye to my little brother as he went off to fight a war, comforting my heartbroken son when he got cut from the basketball team, seeing my baby pale, and unresponsive in the back of an ambulanc...

As part of my quest for iron, I was advised to first run a marathon.  Something I've thought about doing since I became a runner almost three years ago, but never seriously considered a possibility.  But, if I want to complete a full Ironman, I obviously need to be able to run 26.2, so I decided that I needed to complete my first marathon by the end of this year.  My friend Erin then chose the Philadelphia Marathon for us to do as our first, together.  When I told Kristin that I wanted to run Philly, she informed me that it was her favorite one.  What kind of sick group of  people am I now hanging out with that they have a favorite marathon?!?  But her endorsement of the event confirmed that this was the one for me to do.  Erin since changed her mind because of her college budget and schedule not making it a possibility for this year, but KW and I agree that I should still do it.  Well, having this goal now with set date not only makes it ...