Today my hero is Jill

Jill was the person I blame for getting me into running.

She was the foxy chick who, while we wandered around picking up cones at my first 5K (we were late... really late) said in passing, "Oh, me and my brother are going to run the Disney Half Marathon."

After we stumbled across the finish line (and they immediately pulled up all traces of it) my calves were burning. I was dehydrated, hot, and thought... I want to run a half marathon. Yeah, sure, why not?

So a few days later I checked the Disney Half Marathon site. They had just decided, that day, to take on more registrants. I registered. Then I spent the rest of the day tormenting my co-workers with the occasional scream of, "Holy &^%$! I signed up to run 13.1 miles!"

That January, I finished (in tears) my first, my slowest, half marathon. Then I signed up again, and again. Jill and her brother were getting good and thought they'd go for the marathon. After pleading with security we stood out in Animal Kingdom waving signs as they ran - delirious and arm and arm, towards the last few miles and their first Mickey medal.

And while I stayed happily in half marathon land they have since gone on to run not one, not two, but THREE Goofy Challenges. That is, the half marathon on Saturday and the marathon on Sunday. 39.3 miles.

This past weekend was the third. They had to run extra to ensure they got to compete as the weather completely hindered Disney's normal plans and nearly kept them out of starting.

So I really can't complain about my training. Cannot moan about weather or how my legs hurt. Because there are people out there who have, since the moment I thought to sign up to run my first race, driven even harder to excellence.

So this running blog is for Jill. My hero.

Don't forget if you read, sponsor me. And you can blame Jill, who got me hooked and made me think big.