When me and my wife decided to visit friends in Spokane, Washington I had no intention of entering a race. Let alone the famous (probably infamous depending on who you talk to) Bloomsday 12K.

Originally, we had planned to visit over Memorial Day, but flight prices increased around the middle of May so we bumped our potential dates up a few weeks. Turns out the first week of May worked great for everyone, and one of our friends is actually running the Bloomsday 12K. Being a runner, I was roped into participating as well.

Now, I haven’t trained for a race in a long time. Currently, I use running to stay in shape for other things like basketball and surfing. Also, the last race I really trained for was just a 5K. I’m faced with having about eight weeks left until I tackle Doomsday Hill while doing my best to prepare for the increase in elevation. Good times!

Honestly, I am excited to participate in one of the most well-known races in the country, regardless of my time. It gives me a chance to draw upon my old race training strategies, and to see how my body responds. Right now I’m just hoping that Doomsday Hill doesn’t defeat me on May 3.