When our public relations team initially told me the idea of blogging about my experiences as a first-time half marathoner, I was scared. Partially because I let people who work for me push me around like that (which doesn’t say much for my management skills), but mostly because this is the first time I will ever run more than about five miles, and I plan on doing it twice this year. And now I’m going to have a million people reading about my experience on a weekly basis… okay, maybe hundreds… okay, probably just my family.

I should start by telling you who I am. My name is Eric, and I lead the Marketing & Strategy team at Nationwide Better Health, a division of Nationwide that delivers integrated health management and productivity services to companies and organizations in the U.S. and abroad. Coincidentally, Nationwide Better Health is also the title sponsor of the Columbus Marathon. I’ve only been with Nationwide since August 2008, and I’m pretty sure I’m doing this blog solely because I’m the new guy and have therefore drawn the short straw.

You’re probably thinking to yourself: “There’s no way this guy is in marketing. I can already tell that his writing style is atrocious and he’s totally not funny.” If so, then you’d be right about the writing style, but wrong about the career. You’d also be wrong about my humor. It will grow on you. In fact, people often tell me my humor is like a fungus… which I assume means that it grows on people quickly, right?

Our PR team thought having someone like me post commentary about the trials and tribulations of being a first-time runner would be interesting. They also said something about me using my wit and charm, which I interpret as telling me indirectly that I’m not interesting enough without having to force it. Regardless, they may regret asking me to blog by the time this is all said and done, because there’s an 80 percent likelihood that I’ll end up curled in the fetal position in the middle of the street somewhere around mile No. 9. My family is placing the over/under at Schiller Park (note to my wife, Jen: take the under. Maybe the winnings will offset part of the medical bills that I’ll incur by even trying this).

Being new at this whole blogging thing, I thought a good way to kick things off would be to steal an idea from my Facebook page.

25 8 Things About Me

1. I’m too boring to come up with 25 interesting things to say about myself as it relates to this blog.
2. I used to be a decent athlete, but kind of lost may way over the last few years. By “kind of,” I mean totally. And by “few years,” I mean ever since my last day of high school.
3. 15 years ago, on the day I graduated from Bishop Hartley High School (Go Hawks!), I weighed 165 lbs. At my peak physical condition during soccer season when I was 17 years old, I weighed about 160. I also looked like a taller and more muscular version of Brad Pitt, but that’s not relevant to this conversation so there’s no point in checking whether or not I’m telling the truth. Just trust me on that one.
4. Over the years I somehow turned into the guy who, when people are running past my house, asks them why they’re running if nobody is chasing them. I get that sense of humor from my father. It’s both a blessing (Thanks, Dad) and a curse (Sorry, Dad). Unfortunately for my readers you’re going to hear a lot of corny stuff like that each time I post something new.
5. About six years ago, I bought a really nice treadmill and used it religiously for almost a full week. After that it was relegated to “place to hang wet clothing in case the laundry room is full” status in the back corner of my basement.
6. Last October I got to represent our organization at the recognition dinner for the 2008 Nationwide Better Health Columbus Marathon. I imagined I was probably the least fit person in the room until I saw a group that looked like they were most likely some of the runners’ grandfathers, so I felt a lot better knowing that there was no way they could beat me in a foot race. Then that table of men was introduced as a group of guys who would be running in their 29th Columbus Marathon that week… scratch the part about the foot race.
7. At my first appointment with my current doctor, he shook my hand, introduced himself, and said, “Eric, the number one killer of Americans is heart disease. It kills more people than the No. 2 through No. 5 killers combined. The early risk indicators for heart disease are common in a lot of guys your age, and include high LDL, low HDL, high triglycerides, having a waist that is broader than your hips …” As he continued to talk about the risk indicators, I realized he was essentially reciting a checklist of my blood scores and my body shape. I was 31-years-old. That was when things started getting real for me.
8. On the day I decided I was going to become a half marathoner, I weighed 183 lbs, about 23 lbs above my ideal weight from fifteen years ago. After about three weeks of a whole grain and heart-healthy diet, I was down to about 175 and was ready to start training.

I’ll close with some words of wisdom (or whatever): A long time ago I knew if I worked hard to stay in shape, then the world was my oyster. But then I stopped working out and started frying those oysters. And dipping them in butter. And washing them down with beers. But over these next few months, everything is going to change for me… but probably not the part about the fungus-like sense of humor, though.