2014 9+1

I have officially started my year long journey to qualify for guaranteed entry to the 2015 NYC Marathon. There are a few ways you can guarantee your spot for the race (YES, there are actually more people who want to run than there are spots!! So you can't just register):

• Run for charity - they expect you to raise over $2,500. If you don't raise enough, you don't get the spot
• Run another marathon really, really fast - my age group would need to run a 3:20, which is never going to happen for me
• Enter the lottery - let's face it. My luck stinks! I've applied to the lottery six times and have never gotten a spot this way!
• Do the 9+1 program -in a nutshell, run 9 marathon qualifying races and volunteer at one over the course of a year. For more details, check out the NYRR website

I have decided to do the 9+1 in 2014 to earn a spot in the 2015 race. I did the 9+1 in 2012, and it was a long and tiring road to earn my spot for the 2013 race (which in the end, I couldn't run because I chose to do IVF instead). This time around, I anticipate that it will be harder. 

Who knows what life will bring in the way of our TTC efforts. Maybe I'll be lucky enough to get pregnant soon and do the bulk of my 9+1 while pregnant. The 2015 Marathon could be my comeback race!!! (I have goosebumps at the thought!!).

Or maybe we'll crash and burn through this round of IVF and decide it's time for 'alternative' methods to build our family. As much as that would be devastating to give up on a biological child, at least I'd be able to get my body back. I would use the 9+1 as an opportunity to build my endurance base back up. The 2015 Marathon would be a tune up race for my first ultramarathon!!!

I have no idea what's going to happen in the future, but one thing is for certain: I'm gonna try. And I'm gonna wear my Team FUIF jersey every single step of the way!! 

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Where there is desire
There is gonna be a flame
Where there is a flame
Someone's bound to get burned
But just because it burns
Doesn't mean you're gonna die
You've gotta get up and try try try
Gotta get up and try try try
You gotta get up and try try try