It's official! The Chicago Marathon will be my First Full!

Well, I have been praying, talking, and debating about my next major running milestone for 2012 (now that I have met the Disney Half Marathon challenge with success). And today, I have finalized my decision. I have decided that my first Full Marathon -- all 26.2 miles of it -- will be the Chicago Marathon, a signature race with a long, prestigious, and international reputation/history.

I am very excited, and definitely nervous, about this new goal! Excited because it is the Chicago Marathon and I get to have my first experience at that distance in my hometown, the city of my birth. Nervous because running a marathon is a very different level of commitment, physical & mental effort, and preparation process than what I did for the Half Marathon. Not to say that I doubt I can do it because I believe that I can do it. I am at a good starting point fitness-wise to begin preparing, and I have enough time to do that preparation. But even with that, the idea of running for 26.2 miles is still a daunting one.

This will be a great challenge. And all the training runs, races, and gym workouts that I do between now and October 7th will all be part of my overall training plan to get myself ready -- physically, mentally, and spiritually. And the support from friends and family will be an important part of that process as well.

Many people say that crossing the finish line of your first Marathon will change your life forever. I can't wait to know what that will mean for me. They also say 'dream big or go home'. So I choose to Dream BIG!