Oh, my! Would you just look at the time!!!

I just took a close look at a calendar and realized that it's time once again - Time to start training for my next marathon!!! The party's over! Let the games begin! High mileage, shoe-demolition weeks, hill repeats, speed intervals, trails, dark roads, frozen sweat-encrusted running hat, tempo runs, weekly camelbak-armed long runs with Gu's and Endurolytes, bloody nipples, Bodyglide galore! Blind, raw determination! Bring it!!!

Can you tell I've had my morning caffeine?

So here it is: on April 11, 2009, I'll be running in the inaugural Illinois Marathon (www.illinoismarathon.com) which will be held on the campus of my alma mater, University of Illinois, covering sections of Champaign and Urbana. It's sure to be a flat and fast course, and the finish is on the 50-yard line of Memorial Stadium!

The stars and planets have really aligned for me on this one. I haven't been back to the campus in about 15 years, and only get back to Chicago maybe once a year, but our family had already planned our next trip back to be during my kids' spring break. Spring break just happens to cover the weekend of April 11. And on top of that I have a niece going to school there and therefore should have someone to watch kids so Andrea can run the 1/2 or the 5K there. And just maybe Lincoln will run his first 5K!