This puts a bit of extra pressure on me, I guess. But — if I’m up to keeping up with you — it could mean that we’d both appear in the same age-group results back-to-back.

Sounds like a fine goal for me to try for.

I imagine that I’ll have about a solid month of just walking before I’ll be up to jogging a bit. I’ll probably be following a Runner’s World beginning running program at first, which is basically to get me up to 2 miles in 8 weeks. Slow, but steady and progressive, so it should do me a world of good.

I might be ready to tackle more by the end of that, but I’ll probably keep it slow until my muscles and joints can accommodate the stress — though I reckon the rate of weight loss may be a factor there, too.

So, yeah, a good year of preparation sounds doable. I’ll just have to make sure to save up leave so I can take enough for the trip to Texas and the race.

Remember you will have 364 days to get yourself ready to participate in the 2009 Cowtown. Last year, I was proud to take Dad’s Tandy Leather ring around Tandy Center and I can’t wait to feel that feeling again. No one will be going with me this year… just me and my “personal trainer”. Of course he will be assisting everyone else too!

Don’t wish me luck. It’s just another run, only there will be 12,000 others there to run with… that helps you go a little faster.