Thirteen In Thirteen

"You busy?" I said over the phone to my unsuspecting husband, who had just arrived at his office Monday morning. I had been thinking about a new personal project that would help me keep some fitness goals, give me something to obsess about, and also to write about.

Poor guy. He normally doesn't see my hair-brained ideas coming.

"I was thinking maybe I would run thirteen races this year. Thirteen in thirteen. What do you think?" I closed my eyes in a wince. The idea had started forming the day before, I was zoned-out in the backseat of my car as he drove me and our daughter home from Austin, where I just that morning ran the Austin Livestrong half marathon. I sat, sore and tired, gazing at my newest trophy- a finisher's medal from the race. It was my fifth half marathon in three years, and as I traced the word "thirteen" the gears in my brain started to rotate.

Thirteen.

I'm sure I'm not the only person thinking that 2013 could bear some unlucky traits; the word "triskaidekaphobia" didn't coin itself, after all. And it hadn't started out as a good year at our house, either... what better way to kick-start this year with it's seemingly unlucky number and give it a positive twist by diving into a personal challenge that involved something not only good for me, but also that I loved to do?

As I left the third destination in my breakfast gathering trip this morning (El Ray breakfast taco, then to Kraftsman for a mocha latte, and finally some Houston Hot Bagels and a smoothie), I decided that it was time to form a plan and get everyone on board.

Step one was to make sure my husband wouldn't think I was insane for taking this on. Well, that may not be preventable. But I wanted to get his buy-in, because it will mean a bit of a financial investment as well as time, and I don't want to make that decision without hearing his input.

"I'm not sure why you're asking me- you're the one running, right?" was his initial response. I could see where he was coming from, but I know this ordeal will be infinitely easier with his support. Upon further discussion, we decided that I would come up with a wish-list of races, and we'd decide what was in and out of the budget.

Now, to pick some races...