Going the distance (Prologue)

I'm no Steve Prefontaine. But I love running.
And for the past few years I've been trying to get to a point where I could start running and competing in races longer than 5K. It's been tough. It almost seemed like every time I would get serious about improving my times and extending my distances, something would come up.
Maybe it was a new job or new relationship that took time away from my goals. In 2007 it was something a lot more serious. I was diagnosed with bone cancer in my foot which pretty much ended any fantasies I had of running for awhile.
After my treatment ended (a treatment that left me with some pretty nasty arthritis in my ankles, but still alive and kicking), my doctor told me that running, competitive or recreational, probably wasn't going to be in my future. She said that the high impact that running causes would probably result in too much pain. When I pressed her though, she said that anything was possible.
Last summer I went out and bought a new pair of running shoes with nothing but the best intentions. But my doctor was right. It just hurt too much. I got up to doing about three miles at a time before I just couldn't take it anymore. So I put the shoes away, but my dreams of running a big race were still there.
And when the snow thawed and weather started to get warmer, I decided to start again.
I started really slow. Just running about a mile a day for a whole week.
With every step I took I was waiting for that stabbing pain to come back. But it never did.
So I kept adding distance.
Before I knew it, I was going on 5-mile runs with no problems. My times were even improving.
I started to wonder if I had what it took to tackle that elusive big race I'd been thinking about for the last few years. Would I be capable of running down what had basically become my white whale of sorts? I wasn't so sure. But visions of crossing the finish line of a half-marathon kept creeping into my head.
Then, about a week ago my fiance and I were at the doctor's office for her to get a postpartum check up (we are the proud new parents of a baby boy) and in the waiting room, I came across what she later told me had to be "some kind of sign."
It was the August edition of "Runner's World" magazine. And, as luck would have it, it was the "Half-Marathon Special" issue.
It also happened that the Detroit Marathon (which also features a half marathon race) will be held on October 17.
I did the math in my head. If I started training this week, it would give me 10 weeks to prepare for the race. When I looked at the magazine a little closer, I found a training plan that looked as if it was almost tailored just for me. Guess how long it took? 10 weeks.
Maybe it was some kind of sign.
So, in the coming weeks I will be training for, registering in, and with some luck, participating in the Detroit Half Marathon in October.
I plan on checking in once a week and writing about my training, my ups and downs and anything else that might pop up along the way.
As always, any reader feedback is encouraged, so if you have any questions, tips or advice, feel free to email me at Mlarson@A2Journal.com.