Although I have earned a living through writing for more than 20 years, this is the first time I have participated in a group writing venture like this one. The prospect excites me!

Most of my written work has been for newspapers, magazines and curriculum; I haven’t written poetry consistently since my college years. I’m looking forward to seeing what kind of creative energy I have now, and to improving my creative writing skills for the future.

My 16-year-old daughter plans to join me in the half-marathon, too. I encouraged my older daughter, a creative writing major entering her sophomore year in college, to sign up, but she is particularly stubborn about not doing anything that comes with a recommendation from her mother. (Sigh.) Maybe next year!

As soon as I finish writing a Little League baseball story for the newspaper and editing the August newsletter for my church tomorrow, I plan to devote myself to exercising my poetry muscles and preparing for the half-marathon.

The newspaper I work for has recently been bought by a large media company, and the stress levels have been high as everyone waits to see who will keep their jobs and what our new working conditions will look like. This half-marathon represents a welcome respite from those concerns and an opportunity to just “put pen to paper,” or fingers to keys, more likely.

Happy writing, everyone!