A Love Letter to Nike Women's Marathon

Dear Nike Women's Marathon (sometimes known as NWM),

I have desired you from afar for many years.  Many, many years.

In 2007, I didn't register for the random drawing for the registration because I heard of the cool experience of the marathon too late.  But, you decided to have a VIRTUAL half marathon and I could run anywhere I wanted (like around my neighborhood) and sync up my run and get a Tiffany keychain!  It wasn't a half marathon in San Francisco with a fireman giving me a Tiffany necklace at the finish line, but it was something! So, I trained and trained and trained, and with a busy job and a one year old this was no small feat.  And I 10.21.07 I was trained and ready.

Then, tragedy struck.  I woke up the morning of October 21, 2007 with bronchitis.  Still determined to run I sat in my steamy bathroom for an hour hoping to cough up enough stuff to feel better.  My husband, completely freaked out that I was going to try to run with a fever and a hacking up a lung, promised to go to Tiffany's immediately and buy a keychain.*  I went to bed and didn't run.

In 2008, I completely missed the random drawing deadlines because I was just so busy as work.  I felt so stupid for missing it, but you came through for me again with ANOTHER VIRTUAL MARATHON!  I trained and trained and trained!

Then, tragedy struck.  On July 20, 2008 after a 6 miles training run, I fell on the sidewalk, ironically, in front of the Austin Children's Museum, but while holding my 2 year old daughter.  While trying to protect her in the fall, I broke both my arm and foot.  I would not be able to run the virtual marathon, and I was unable to run again until November.

In 2009, I finally got my act together and registered for the random drawing!  But you didn't pick me and there was no sign of a virtual marathon.  So, I got pregnant instead!

And then you emailed me this on September 25, 2009:

Congratulations!  As a thank you and reward for training with your Nike+ system, we would like to invite you and a friend to register for this year’s SOLD OUT Nike Women’s Marathonin San Francisco on Sunday, October 18, 2009!

Five months pregnant and completely untrained for a Half Marathon, I declined your late offer.

In March of 2010, I had a baby.  And there was no way I was doing a half marathon in October.

And that brings us to now, 2011.   I have registered for your random drawing.  I wish to do your half marathon.  And all I can say is:

PLEASE PICK ME!

Love,
Cynthia


*This was apparently a lie.  He did not buy me a keychain.  I reminded him of this several years later and he bought me a Coach keychain.