I’m not sure if you remember last year’s January-a-thon between Sister Runner Amy and I or not – but it lasted about only 4 minutes. This year we’ve come up with new rules that provide provisions for things like sick kids, snow days, and hangovers – little add-ons to actually make this year’s smack down go down.

Minimum requirements:

• Must record exercise on Google calendar every day
• Minimum 30 minutes of exercise every day
• 7 miles of running or walking every week
• 3 different activities each week – Running, Walking, Cycling, Yoga, Swimming, Lifting Weights, etc.

At the end of the month, hours exercised times miles run = point value

Points deductions:

• Tardy workout reporting: 10 points
• Skipping a day: 25 points
• Not getting your miles in: 10 points
• Not getting three different workouts: 10

The sister with the most points at the end of the month wins. The losing sister buys the winning sister a fitness related gift valued at $50.00 at the end of the month.

Now, if we keep up and finish a Year-a-thon, the winning sister can force the loser to sister to enter a race of her choice.

He’s a loser, she’s a loser, wouldn’t you like to be a loser too?

So, here is the lowdown on Januaryathon. For some reason relating to the weather and having a bad day, whatever the reason, Sister Runner Amy didn’t get her run in on January 18th. She quit and declared me, Runner Susan of all Susans, winner by default. Alright, no big deal, it’s over and I win, so I move on back into my normal workout routine.

NOW Sister Runner Amy is declaring me a loser too because I didn’t go ahead and finish Januaryathon. So I won, then I didn’t win. How did that happen?

I guess I should have read the fine print.

Sister Runner Amy and I have agreed to the Januaryathon Contest 2008. Some people spell it January-a-thon, either way is okay with me, but sometimes the hyphens hurt my fingers.

Official rules:

• Participants must run every day in January.
• Runs must be a minimum of 1 mile daily.
• No daily or weekly maximums.
• Weekly minimum of 10 miles.

Exceptions can only be made for illnesses (self or children.)

The sister who runs the most miles, and everyday, in January gets bragging rights and the ability to taunt the other sister. Relentlessly. In an attempt to get Amy to run a full marathon, I suggested that one sister picks a race and the other has to run it. She would not agree to a full marathon, so we agreed that if I win, Amy would run White Rock again and if I lose, I’ll run the IU Mini with her. Although, I may still get a full marathon agreement in by the end of the month, we’ll see.