Run, RDB, Run. Run. Run?

Hey there, remember how I always said I was going to run a marathon, and then 11 or so months ago I signed up for Team in Training and started running and then at the end of February I actually ran a marathon? Of course you do; I hardly talked about anything else for a couple of months back there. That was the New Orleans marathon on 2/28/10 and my post-run post (ha ha) is here, for your review if you so desire :)

And then, remember how that crazy thing happened where I became close friends with this guy who was running the L.A. Marathon three weeks later and so I ended up running that marathon also, with him? That was on 3/21/10 and the p-r p is here.

Well, I didn't tell you this, but a couple of months later... yeah, I ran another one. On 6/12/10 I ran the Bear Lake Marathon in Utah, again with L.A. Marathon guy and a few friends. We rented a lake house and all went out there to walk this half-marathon together, except somehow two of us ended up doing the full and not so much of that walking thing either. I hadn't trained AT ALL. And it was raining, and cold, and windy, and uphill, and for the most part, pretty miserable. And, you know, AT ALTITUDE. Anyway, anything for friends, right? It was a wonderful weekend, truly.

Well, now, here's where it gets crazy: I'm about to do another one.

See, back in February when everyone on my team was getting excited about L.A. and stuff, we all talked about the NYC marathon and how it's the best one ever and blah blah blah, and so many people want to run it every year that they have this big lottery system to get in. So we all put in for the lottery, and not one of us got a spot. Oh well. Really, I got into this planning to do ONE marathon. Ever.

After #2, I said that was it. After #3, I swore that was it!

And then over the summer I got email from an amazing charity called The Blue Card, asking me to please join their team for New York. THEY CONTACTED ME AND GAVE ME A SPOT IN NYC!! And the charity? 100% of donations go to the care of Holocaust survivors who are in bad health, or have no surviving family, or are destitute for whatever reason.

Really, could I possibly have said No? Really?

No.

So: on 11/7/10 I will run my fourth marathon of the year (and of my life). I fully expect it will be my last*. I am indeed raising money for another incredible cause, and donations of any size (and I mean that) are incredibly truly appreciated. Go to The Blue Card homepage, click on the Make a Donation link on the top right, and mention my name anywhere in the comments. And come out and support me in my first East Coast marathon!! By all accounts, it's a NYC event not to be missed - thousands of runners, thousands of spectators, a huge five-borough celebration of health and life and stamina and triumph. I'd loooooooove to see you out there!!

N.B. to many of the people who have already donated in my honor: I am way behind on my thank you notes, but THANK YOU SO MUCH and the note is coming, I promise :)

* (at least, until the next one)