Holiday indulgence insprires a challenge

Since 2009 arrived, a couple of questions have been nagging me: Who snuck into my closet and shrunk all my pants? And why does the prospect of losing my mind seem so much more plausible than losing this holiday weight?

I blame no one but myself. I gleefully ate my way through an entire weekend of cookie baking and candy making with a dear friend from Davis. Holiday parties were ripe with opportunities to overindulge. Who am I to pass up all those glorious platters of cheese? Another slice of pumpkin torte? Of course! My affinity for the classic Sidecar cocktail didn't help matters, either.

Faced with the unfortunate aftermath, I have been trying to take daily walks. This works out about half of the time. Yoga calms, strengthens and centers me, but I seem to make it to class sporadically at best. I just don't feel healthy. Something's gotta give.

A friend recently brought up the Lake Tahoe marathon, held each September, as something we might consider. "I'd train for a half marathon with you," she said. "It would be fun."

Now I am many things, but a runner is not one of them. Running 13.1 miles seems about as fun to me as swimming across the lake in February with Tahoe Tessie nipping after my toes. I've always found a plethora of fantastic excuses to avoid taking it up with any measure of seriousness.

However, the status of my current situation is giving me pause. Having a partner to train with would certainly make me more accountable, and the prospect of heading out for some serious exercise wouldn't seem nearly as daunting if I had her company to look forward to.

My curiosity piqued, I logged on to the marathon's official Web site at www.laketahoemarathon.com. Turns out, the "marathon" is actually a 5-day event, where participants can select from a dizzying array of races. You can choose to run, paddle, bicycle, swim, golf, or combine different activities to create an experience all your own. Running course lengths vary from a 5K all the way to 72 miles around the lake. There are even events for children. It is truly an all-family vacation-themed week of activity.

Another incentive is a rapidly approaching landmark birthday, which will coincidentally fall on the same week as the marathon. What better way to usher in a new decade than by accomplishing something I'd never even really considered possible for me?

Keeping in mind that the farthest I have ever run at one time is about two miles, I am thinking of either going for the 10K or the half marathon. Both seem completely insane at this point, but I am trying to take comfort in the fact that I have eight months to train.

Be it the invitation, the incentive or just plain insanity, I am going to do this. It's going to be hard and won't be pretty, but I am going to do it. I will try and keep you posted on my progress along the way. And if one day you happen to see me huffing and puffing along the side of the road, feel free to show a gal a little support with a friendly wave or toot of your horn.

n Amy Roby can be reached at ranchosroundup@hotmail.com