When Running Meets Baseball…

29. Dec, 2009 2 Comments

Its no secret that 2 of my most favorite things are baseball and running…

So last week, when I sat down to plan my Spring vacation, I found myself in a bit of dilemma between choosing to travel to New Orleans on Feb 28th for the Mardi Gras Rock n Roll Half Marathon or to Scottsdale, AZ for my annual San Francisco Giants Spring Training trip. I should have considered this before I registered for New Orleans, but I registered for it on a whim, not really thinking or planning it through. I’ve been going to Spring Training annually since 1994 and its not something that I’m willing to skip – for anything. Period. I would love to do both, but I neither have the funds or the PTO. What to do, what to do…

Well for a while I did nothing, trying to avoid having to make a decision. Then a few days later, while on Active.com researching races for my 2010 schedule, I came across a half-marathon in Scottsdale during Spring Training! Cha-ching – problem solved! Why not go to Scottsdale for Spring Training AND running!

Today I officially registered for the Race for Ryan House Half-Marathon, scheduled on Saturday March 6th, in some golf course community in Scottsdale. It sounds like a fairly small event and that’s pretty much all that I was able to find out about it. But I’m okay with that because:

1. Its on a Saturday.
2. The entry fee was only $43 but will still have chip timing.
3. Ryan House sounds like a great cause to run for. Its a lot like the Ronald McDonald House, where I volunteer at.
4. After the race I can head over to Scottsdale Stadium and watch the G’s take on the D’backs.
5. Post-race dinner will be a full slab of baby back ribs at Don’s and Charlie’s.

While I would love to visit New Orleans, it’ll have to wait for another time, but I will get there someday…and to be honest, I could use the extra week of training. This will be my next “big” race, the first one of a few planned for 2010. More to come on the rest of my 2010 schedule shortly…

I love it when a plan comes together!