FF#6: Join the Marathon Maniacs

On 25 May I completed the Edinburgh Marathon in 3 hours 54 minutes. This was my third marathon in three months (after Blackpool in April and The Meadows in March) which qualified me to join the Marathon Maniacs. Hurray!

My acceptance email from the Marathon Manaics - woo!

Why do I want to be a Marathon Maniac? I want to be a member of a club whose membership must be earned. It's been a while since I've been in a professional organisation, and that's the only equivalent I can think of. My running coach Angie Spencer is a member and talks about Marathon Maniacs on her MTA podcasts. My brain must be suceptible to suggestion when I'm running. Almost all of the members of MM are in the USA.

So by running three marathons in three months I earned the right to pay $45 dollars (£27) and call myself  Marathon Maniac #9397. This entitles me to spend more money on merchandise so I can tell the world I'm a Marathon Maniac; to access the forums on the MM website; to a newsletter; and to print out a generic membership certificate.

Awesome!!

And yes, pointless. Especially when three marathons in three months has left me in less than great health - my recovery has been slow (combined with college deadlines, end of term work and family busy-ness and lots going on at home).

But some of the FF things have to be pointless. That's why their on the list - they're so pointless I wouldn't do them unless I was celebrating something. Which is what the FF list is all about.

I'm hoping to run my Autumn marathon (Loch Ness at the end of September) in my MM vest. I wonder if anybody will notice.