She's thrown down the gauntlet and Valerie doesn't even know it

Let me set the scene: I'm at the nail place with my friend Kim getting a much needed pedicure. Let me tell you, running every day has done a number on my feet. I've had to kiss my dreams of being a foot model good bye. Darn.

There I am, trying to do a little damage control while enjoying the massage chair and flipping though several magazines that I could never bring myself to buy. You know the ones, they are every girl's guilty pleasure. They are filled with hard hitting journalism - articles like "Who Wore it Best" and "Celebrity Cellulite." Yes, I feel dumber after having read one of those magazines, but man, they are a fun read.

As I turn the page on an article about how bad Mischa Barton is looking lately (can these magazines be any meaner?), I stumble upon a picture of Valerie Bertinelli. Guess what she is doing? Crossing the finish line at the Napa-to-Sonoma Wine Country Half Marathon. She looks good. After dropping 50 pounds she decided to run a half marathon. Good for her!

Then my eyes drop to the caption below the photo. "Valerie ran the scenic 13.1 mile race in 2:12:19." I quickly do the math - she ran the half at a 10:06 minute mile pace. WHAT? CRAP! Valerie can run faster than me. NO! NOT ACCEPTABLE.

My first half marathon is in two weeks and I was planning on running it in 2:20:00, which translates to a 10:41 minute mile. Shoot.

Now, just last week I wrote that no matter what my time is when I run a race, I consider myself a winner. And I do. I just want to be a faster winner than Valerie Bertinelli.

So, Valerie, I accept your challenge. I will try to beat your time of 2:12:19 when I run the America's Finest City Marathon in San Diego on August 16. You have thrown down the gauntlet. Funny thing is, you don't even know it.