Monday, April 6, 2009

Who Does That?

An email came through my phone Sunday morning entitled 2:29. Seemingly random, and coming from my friend MK, who is not big on forwards (we all have friends who are big on the forwarding- you know who you are), I opened it immediately. It was a one-liner:

Ran my first half marathon this morning! Ya baby!

Um, what?

I was completely confused. Since when had she been training for a half-marathon? I was just with her in Austin last weekend- a weekend definitely not spent running. There was even a picture for proof. I called her for clarification.

Saying things like "it was amazing/inspirational" and "I have no desire to train for a full marathon" in the same breath, I got her explanation. She did no intentional training for this. She had been running 30-40 minutes a few mornings a week, that is all. This was not pre-meditated; she attended a crawfish boil on Saturday night and talked to a guy who was extolling the greatness that is marathon-running, and told her she should try it.

Sure, why not?

So alone, she showed up to marathon's starting point in Dallas on Sunday morning and ran for two hours and twenty-nine minutes; successfully completing her first half-marathon. You would have to know her to understand that while a surprise in-and-of itself, this was not shocking. She's totally the type to do something like that, just to prove to herself she could do it.

Half marathon? Check that off the list.

Professor Callahan: Do you think she just woke up one morning and said: "I think I'll go to law school today..."
-Legally Blonde, 2001

5 comments:

Kelli said...

W-O-W! I wish I could do that! I'm still trying to get myself motivated to run just for 30 mins!

erin - heart in ireland said...

I had a bunch of friends run a half marathon without training last spring. Running one is on my list of things to do, so hopefully in the next year!

Unknown said...

OMG! I am literally laughing out loud right now. And no, I am not shocked that MK would be the one to do that, but in keeping with the title of your post, "WHO DOES THAT???"

And not only who does that, but who CAN do that?? Not this girl. Thanks for the story, and a special thanks to MK for the material!

Anonymous said...

trying to get back in shape for just 5k's. geez a half marathon!! she is my hero!!

love that quote and that movie!!!

Bluebelle said...

Impressive. I went for two runs with an old housemate...about a year ago. Each probably lasted for about half an hour and involved more chatting than actual running.