SOMEONE needs to be committed! (pun intended)

Since the first of May, I've been averaging about 17 miles a week. A couple of miles or more each week is just walking, but I've been running a respectable amount. I've been trying not to push myself too much, just get out and exercise 5 days a week. The distance for my runs have been determined by how far I can get away from home and still feel like I can get back without exhausting myself. Now has come the time to commit to a schedule.

After a run one morning, Laur and I stopped by the park to let the girls loose. While we let the girls have some play time, my wife was talking with a couple of our neighbors who were there with their own kids. The neighbors asked my wife if she was training for a particular race (nope, just running), and then suggested that she should run the Halloween Half-Marathon down the Provo River trails with them. This is a race that encourages costumes and benefits from being a down-hill run.

Now, if you're wondering where the possible mistake was, Laura mentioned the invitation to her sisters. Tammy replied to Laura's email with a phone-call and said that she is now going make the trip down from Alberta to do the half-marathon. Laura got herself committed to the race JUST AFTER she finally decided to herself that she wasn't going to do it.

Laura has run half marathons before, but she's had two kids since she last ran on that kind of a schedule. I've never run more than 9 miles in one bout (and that was helping to support one of her previous training sessions for a half-marathon). For now, I'm planning on helping with Laur's training. I've adapted a couple versions of an online training plan, and I'll be following along with her distances. I don't think I'll be running the race (someone's got to tend the girls and I enjoy cheering for Laura in her races), but I'll probably break my 9 mile barrier this time around.

Back to the possible problem: Do we need to stop talking to the neighbors?, my wife's sisters?, or just learn to say "no"?

Honestly, I'm looking forward to training with Laura for the race. It's always exciting to see what she can do once she gets started. She's always had my race day congratulations.

17 weeks to go!!!