This morning I ran my 3rd Half Marathon. I finished around the same time as previously, but just a little bit quicker. In the Madison Half Marathon, I finished at 2 hours 50 minutes, but it was probably closer to 2 hours 48 minutes, as it took 2 minutes to cross the starting line. I finished the Madison Mini Marathon is 2 hours 45 minutes. And today, I finished the Fox Cities Marathon is 2 hours 43 minutes.

After finishing my first Half Marathon, I wrote about why I decided to Run. Spoiler! I saw the movie, Run Fatboy Run, and thought it looked pretty easy. And it wasn't too difficult. That first half marathon beat the shit out of me, but it gave me perspective and motivation for fitness.

Motivation is the reason I signed up for another 2 Half Marathon right after finishing the first. Motivation to continue running on my own and exercise regularly. Overall, I run to lose weight and keep fit. I like to be light on my feet. But running builds Motivation of its own. The energy spent and built while running keeps the body in motion throughout the day. It eases my lazy tendencies and lightens my mood. The cycle of exercise and motivation to exercise is just as powerful as the cycle to sit there and not exercise.

During a marathon, that motivation is far greater because you're surrounded by thousands of other people that have the motivation to get out of bed on very early weekend morning and run for a few hours as the sunrises.

Everyone is there for different reasons, but those reasons give them the same motivation that guides their feat across the pavement and eventually across the finish line. And at the finish line you're given a medal for you hard work. There are few exercises that will award with a medal on top of the health, fitness and perpetual motivation.

The daylight continues to escape the skies, the leaves have started to wither and rot, and the temperature is declining. Fall is here and my weekends are rather busy, so I don't have the time to take in any more half marathons this year. Though, I will probably do Gilda's Run on October 24th in Middleton, which is 5 miles.

I've been looking at Half Marathon dates next year and have a couple that look like fun.

Feb 28th // Gasparilla Half Marathon in Tampa, Florida
May 1st // Door County Half Marathon in Pennisula Park, Wisconsin
May 1st // Wisconsin Half Marathon is Kenosha, Wisconsin (one or the other, not both)
May 30th // Madison Half Marathon in Madison, Wisconsin
Jun 6th // Minneapolis Half Marathon in Minneapolis, Minnesota

Hopefully, that Florida Half Marathon will keep me running over the next 5 months. I started "training" back in March this year, so the cold shouldn't keep me away. Though, huge gaping breaths in cold tempatures could probably screw up my throat.