This week, I might have officially gone insane.

I have decided, along with a few of my coworkers, to run the 2009 Gate River Run on March 14. Now it is necessary to disclose that never have I run the River Run before. I’ve never actually ran that long in one fell swoop before. To be honest, I’m pretty proud of myself when I can get through one full mile on the treadmill without stopping. It’s really sad, I know.

As lofty as it sounds, I really do have my heart set on accomplishing this. The responses from friends and family have been quite interesting I will say. Some are very supportive—usually because they are running it as well or have done it in the past. And from others, the response is less supportive and more based on previous knowledge about my relationship with running. They answer with things like, “Yeah and I’m going to cross the Arctic.”

So let me give some background.

It all stems from my elementary school days and the dreaded Presidential Physical Fitness Test. Now mind you, I was pretty excellent at most parts of this test. Those sit-ups—no problem. Push-ups—done in no time. The V-sit—please, they should have called it the Katie sit. But for some reason, my mind and body had a giant block towards running. So when it came time for the one mile run, I simply resolved within myself that once again I wasn’t going to make the time to get the Presidential award, so I would settle for the Vice-President award or whatever the second level was in that thing. I don’t think I ever ran the whole way any time I ever did that test. But to be honest, I don’t think that track (and by track, I mean some cockamamie course that somewhat encircled the playing field of our school. You had to go around the softball field, behind the dumpster, over the river and through the woods…It was ridiculous) really even measured out to be a mile. Our coach would get in her car and map it out. I’m pretty sure that car was a lemon, so it simply shouldn’t have been trusted.

Anyway, nine years of embarrassing mile run results did nothing to create a positive relationship with the activity of running. I always just marveled at marathon runners who could run…forever it seemed. But since joining my gym (not that I have been to it that often lately, judging from more unsupportive responses like “You better start training, since you get out of breath climbing your apartment stairs”), I have let the running back into my life. The treadmill and I became friends, slowly but surely. And now I have a goal. I have a little more than seven weeks to get myself out of this lazy streak and into those running shoes. Oh yeah, I have to buy running shoes. But details aside, I’ve got a fever and the only prescription is more running. You thought I was going to say more cowbell…well you were wrong.

It’s only the beginning. I need all the support and well-wishing I can get. But I’ll take the unsupportive talk too. I think that motivates me more. We’ll see what happens. Till next time…happy running!