Warmup Sometimes our families make us a little crazy. Even though we may be relatively sane most of the year (though I exclude most ZUG readers from that category), when we get together around the holidays, most of us experience momentary lapses in judgment. Such was the case last Thanksgiving, when my mother and my wife went out for an early morning jog near my brother's house in Colorado. These two lovely women, usually clear-headed and reasonable, came back from their run and announced that they were going to run a marathon. The way they described it, the idea sounded romantic: they'd train for the next full year and would run the marathon the following autumn. "It'll be a great way to get in shape!" proclaimed my mom. Shape shape shape echoed in my brain. "It'll help us stay motivated to exercise!" predicted Jade. Exercise exercise exercise repeated my synapses. As I listened to them discuss this plan, their family insanity began slowly creeping over my brain. That would be fun, I found myself thinking, despite the fact that I am an overweight asthmatic. As my eyes turned into tiny pinwheels and driblets of drool dripped from my mouth, I decided I was going to join them on this adventure.
This is a story of courage, hope, and the power to move beyond our limits. This is a story of people just like you -- lazy and untrained -- on a quest to run the ultimate distance. This is a story of excruciating jock itch. Enjoy.
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