walking pig

among the minimal perks of cincinnati is the annual cincinnati flying pig marathon. don't ask me why it's called the flying pig because i don't know. it could be because we've got a few porkers here, thanks to unlimited cincy style chili*, fast foods every .03 miles, the fact that's 80% of the time it's either too hot or too cold to actually go outside--OR, it could be because the very first case of swine flu was found here in 1959**.

so. i decided as a kickstart to training for my marathon in october (which you will be forced to read many, many posts about--unless i don't hit the publish button. but i will be writing about it a lot. because i'm stoked), i would maybe attempt walking the half marathon with a friend. it wasn't easy convincing tiffany that we should do a half marathon (walking or not) without any training whatsoever, but in the end i succeeded. the texts went something like this:

Me: i have the BEST idea! let's do the flying pig half marathon. we can walk/jog it. What do you say?? :D
Tiffany: i'm scared! i've never done a marathon! when is it?
Me: Um in 2 weeks. It's a half, not a full. Do it do it do it.
Tiffany: i looked it up it's in 15 days 20 h 57 m &43 s
Me: yeah. so even more than 2 weeks away.
Tiffany: i don't think i could do it! i am so out of shape! is there another one that's later in the year?
Me: Not around here! Come onnnnnnn you're in shape! i have seen and touched your butt. Trust.
Me: Besides i am waaaay more out of shape. The most exercise I've gotten is clicking on facebook quizzes. You do karate!
Me: AND it can be like a kick start for serious working out!
Me: AND you'll get a medal!
Tiffany: Are you sure you're not in sales?!

and so it went. we went to the expo on saturday, picked up our race packets, got some free stuff (smucker's jelly in cute little containers! clappers shaped like a pig--which the kids have been using nonstop since. yay for headaches! duffel bags!) basically we tried to get our registration fee's worth in free shit. maybe if we melt the medal we got...



or not. i have to admit, it's pretty sweet that i get to have a medal with swine ass on it. talk about FAT-BOTTOMED BLOG CONTINUITY!

so it took us a little less than 3-1/2 hours, which yeah, is a long time for a half marathon, but actually pretty kickass for walking it. we were proud of ourselves! and after the finish line, we got bananas, bagels, chips, hohos...again, trying to get our money's worth dammit!

so check out these awesome photos from the finish line.

man drops something. looks like the pig-shaped clapper i mentioned earlier:



and the lady's all...i'll get it for you, i'm nice. lemme just go back and...



HAHAHAHAHAHA!!



and the guys all thanks lady. you just ruined my photo finish. now i'm going to have a picture with your ass sticking out. stupid bitch.



yes my hair is big. it was rainy and very humid, wtf am i supposed to do? but more importantly, note the cheez-its i have my kung fu grip on. and i had already stuffed my face with a bagel and banana. AND i also had hohos in my other hand. i know i already mentioned the food at the end, but come on, it was good!! totally worth the 13.1 miles.

so now i'm ready to start the training before the training, which basically entails building up to comfortably running 25-30 miles a week. after that, i have to start doing one long run a week, work up to 20-22 miles a month before the marathon, then cut back the few weeks before the big day. which is october 18. oh, and the weekend after? u2 concert. oh yeah.




*it's pretty gross. secret ingredient is chocolate, and it still manages to taste like ass.

**a total lie.