Jerusalem, Here I Come

By Ross Forman

For my 15th marathon, I’m tackling my most challenging run ever: the 2nd annual Jerusalem Marathon on Friday morning, March 16.

No doubt the scenery will be breath-taking and I’m even tempted to carry a camera along the 26.2-mile route, which I have never done. It’s the terrain in the Holy Land that might, no doubt, make me want to shout, ‘Holy #$%&’ more than once.

We’re talking up and down, up and down, up and down. And if that’s not agonizing enough, there appears to be plenty of cobblestones along the course. As one Chicago rabbi said to me, “Not at all flat like Chicago or Tel Aviv. Best of Luck!”

Gee, thanks. Looks like this will be a PTA marathon. Of course that’s Pain Torture and Agony. But also plenty of pride and excitement.

I ran the Tel Aviv Marathon last April and it was, and still is, my Personal Record (PR) time. The course in Tel Aviv is flat and scenic – and sitting in the chilly Mediterranean Sea after the run was a great form of recovery.

Well, at least Jerusalem has the scenic aspect down pat. Watching videos and seeing photos from last year’s Jerusalem Marathon gets me excited. (Please tell me that, in Jerusalem, they don’t play – and I won’t have to hear – that oh-so-annoying sound from matkot. Google matkot if you’re not familiar with Israel’s unofficial national sport.)

I still can’t believe I’m running the Jerusalem Marathon. But every day when I push “Play” on my computer and work out to another Insanity DVD, I know I’ll be able to conquer the insane terrain.

My training was thrown a few curves in January. I registered, for some crazy reason, to run the inaugural Polar Dash, a 13.1-mile race along the lakefront in Chicago on Saturday morning, Jan. 14. (Yes, my sanity truly must be called into question to agree to run outside in Chicago in mid-January.) However, two days before the race, organizers post-poned the event until Jan. 21. And I was not in Chicago on the 21st.

Then, I was scheduled to run the ING Miami Half Marathon on Sunday morning, Jan. 29. But, two days before that race, Chuckie (my dog) got sick and had to be taken to the vet – with follow-up visits daily for the next few days. (Thankfully, he’s doing much better.)

No Polar Dash or Miami Half just meant more Insanity for me. The high-intensity cardio workouts, led by Shaun T, are my main training sessions for Jerusalem. I know the plyometric workouts done in the comfort of my kitchen, where I do all of my Insanity workouts, will pay off when, as event organizers promote, I get the chance to, Run Through History.

I can’t wait, seriously.

Ross.