Top 10 Reasons to Run a Half-Marathon

10. I look good when my body is twisted in pain, drenched in sweat. I smell good too.
9. I get to buy new shoes. My running coach has recommended I not run a half-marathon in my favorite high heels. [And no - your donations will not be purchasing said shoes.]
8. Let's be honest, if no one was watching, I'd likely say "well, it was close to 13.1 miles." That's why I've selected to run the nation's largest half-marathon. And it happens in my hometown - pretty cool city, huh!
7. If I get tired of running I can just stop. Unlike swimming, I won't drown. And unlike cycling, I won't fall over. Well, I might fall over...
6. I'll burn lots of calories. Anyone for a cosmopolitan after the race?
5. I've never been a runner, but I hear it's easy to learn. Like walking. But faster. And with more injuries.
4. Donations to the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society are 100% tax deductible. Isn't that SO much better than giving it to Uncle Sam?
3. There is no logical reason for me to run 13.1 miles, which is why I probably haven't done it for the past 5 years I've told myself I would.
2. But there is a logical reason to raise money for cancer research. Every 4 minutes, someone is diagnosed with blood cancer. And every 10 minutes, cancer claims a life.
1. It's personal too. In 1992, my mom lost her fight with with cancer. Just a few years later, my Aunt Karen beat cancer and today is a proud grandmother to her 3 [soon to be 4!] grandchildren.