Marathon #1 in Mobile, Alabama

I ran what is hoped will be the first of 2009's (at least) 12 marathons yesterday in Mobile, Alabama. Finished in 4:16, but I was not trying to set any records due to the blustery weather and a menacing pain that developed in my left foot at the 9 mile mark (have not had that before, and hope it does not kill the dream during the first run). As for the weather, I would love to have someone explain to me how the wind can blow in a runner's face the entire 26 miles of an essentially out-and-back run.

Along the way, I shared three miles with a 10-year-old from Montrose, Alabama named Mason Lockhart who was running the half-marathon (his first). Mason finished 10th in the Youth age group. Mason has also caused me to add another objective to me "one a month dream," that is to engage at least one interesting person in conversation for part of the run...and to report in my blog.

Candidly, my "one a month for a year" attempt is more of a pl (pronounced "pluh" and defined as the beginning of a plan (get it pl, first two letters of plan). Not all of the dates are filled in with races. This whole idea began when I was checking my travel schedule and marathonguide.com, which caused me to notice that my work travel would put me near a marathon for the first six months of the year. The only problem is, I misread the March schedule and my anticipated appearance in the Little Rock Marathon had to be changed since I won't be in Little Rock on March 15 (I thought the Little Rock Marathon was on March 8, when I am in Little Rock).

With that said, the current schedule as follows:

January 11--Mobile, AL First Light Marathon (Done)
February 15--Birmingham, AL Mercedes Marathon
March--Different date of Little Rock Marathon caused the original plan to crash in to a "pl"
April 20--Boston (yes, that Boston...buy the way, buy adidas!) (may also run something called the Martian Marathon in Dearborn, MI on April 4 since (1) I will be in Detroit, and (2) It's not everyday I'm able to run in something called the Martian Marathon
May 2--Prescott, AZ Whiskey Row Marathon (at least it sounds like fun)
June 14--Estes Park, CO Estes Park Marathon (no fun, high altitude, ran the half four years ago...not sure about a 26.2 miles without an oxygen bottle)
July--Looks like the San Francisco Marathon on July 26
August--Bit of an issue here (open to suggestions)
September--Tupelo, MS for the always popular (and warm and humid) Tupelo Marathon
October--Indianapolis Marathon on the 17th
November--Do I dare try for New York??? If not, either Tulsa, OK or the Space Coast Marathon in Cocoa Beach, FL
December--Planning to finish at White Rock in Dallas, Texas

Why am I doing this? I don't really know...we'll just see how it goes.