Marathon Monday.

When I was in high school, I remember flipping through Shape magazine and coming across an ad for the Nike Women's Marathon. Running a marathon was definitely not on my radar at that point (or anywhere remotely close to my radar, for that matter) but I remember thinking that if I ever went insane and signed up to run 26.2 miles, it would absolutely have to be that marathon.

A Tiffany necklace in your finisher's goodie bag? Great views of a gorgeous city? All women and no sweaty dudes in shorts so tiny they could be women's underwear, running so fast they'll finish in half the time I will? HECK YES, count me in.

And then, a few weeks ago, I found myself searching the internet for a marathon to run. (Hello, crazy, nice to meet you.) And the Nike Women's Marathon was perfectly placed to give me just enough training time. And it was within driving distance. Signing up was pretty much non-optional.

I recruited my dedicated runner friend (because let's get real, I needed someone to listen and commiserate when I complain my face off and someone to keep me from bailing on this marathon idea altogether) and on the first day of sign ups, we were all over it. And then we waited. Annnd we waited. Because the NWM is so stinking popular (probably thanks to the hunky firemen who congratulate you at the finish line) that they have a lottery system and only a portion of those who sign up actually get into the race. And when announcement day came last Friday, we were glued to our computer screens.

Never have I been so excited to see money leaving my bank account. We both got in!

Hot firemen, beware. San Francisco...here we come.