Marathoning Dreams

Ahhh...  To run or not to run; that is the question.  Not really though, since a Marathon is not only on my bucket list, but it has a "to do" date of "before I turn 40" which is July of next year, so my options are limited as is my time to accomplish said goal. 

So I started working my training calendar backwards from the SeaFair Triathlon next summer (which is another baby step toward my bucket list item of "finish an Ironman without losing consciousness"), and decided that a realistic marathon date would be in April of 2013 if I give myself 12 weeks of training time for the Tri.  So after a quick Google search, I narrowed my options down to:
     1. The Nashville Rock & Roll Marathon, Nashville TN - my sister lives in Knoxville, TN
     2. The Eugene Marathon, Eugene OR - my sister-in-law lives in Eugene, OR
     3. The Widbey Island Marathon, Widbey Island WA - one of my best friends lives on Widbey Island

From there it became a question of finances. 
Option #1 would probably be most fun, but also most expensive, since it would include airfare, plus a hotel (since Knoxville is a 3 hour drive...), plus the R&R registration fee which is higher than most. 

Option #2 would be less costly since I could stay with my sister-in-law, but it would involve a very lengthy drive down and back (gas money + exhaustion).  Additionally, Eugene is famous for being home to some world class athletes so the thought of running with in their long-settled dust is intimidating, to say the least.

That brings me to Option #3.  It is basically local, I could stay overnight with my friend, and maybe, just maybe, I could see if Jeff wants to run the 1/2 marathon as part of his CRAZY "run a 1/2 every month for a year" scheme.  Granted, by the time I cross the finish line, he will have been able to take a shower, get a massage, drink 5 beers, and go karaoke.  But it would be fun to celebrate together his 8th consecutive month of "Halving" along with the completion of my first marathon.  I will stagger across the finish line and drink a beer, while he staggers from drinking his 6th beer after waiting so long for me to finish...