No Half-Marathon for me...

Every year, I run the Houston Half-Marathon in January. It's become a rather big deal for me. I look forward to it every year, in spite of my almost total lack of marathon training. Each year, I get out there and run my guts out to prove the following to myself and others:

1. The human body is capable of amazing things.
2. Age is just a number. I'm only 38, and many folks think that's old.
3. Determination and optimism count for a lot.
4. Martial arts training is a fabulous all-around training method.
5. On a personal note, when I put my mind to something, I really can make it happen.

Aside from the things I'm trying to prove, the entire experience is a massive amount of fun. I love the energy, the happiness, the laughing, and the overall humor of the day. It's a HUGE number of people all coming together to enjoy an athletic event, and I love every minute of it. And I love being able to tell stories about the race for the rest of the year.

But for 2009, I won't have stories to tell. Well, I'll have wedding stories, I guess. My fantastic brother-in-law and his fiancee (who is a world class runner, I might add), are getting married in Arizona that weekend. I love them both dearly, and I don't think I can attend their wedding AND run the race the next day. In fact, my loving wife has emphatically stated that I would be severely injured if I even tried to get out of going to the wedding. So there goes my race for 2009.

However...

I know there are other races out there. And even other kinds of competitions. Maybe I can use this apparent setback as an opportunity. There's got to be some kind of intense event that I can use to take the place of my usual race in January. Hmmmmm. This could be a blessing in disguise. New experiences could lie in wait for me.

So if you know of anything else I could compete in for the month of January, let me know. And if you know someone who wants a spot in the Houston Half-Marathon, send 'em my way.