Even opposites can keep in stride

Running 26.2 miles with your spouse might be considered the ultimate act of togetherness.

Or, maybe, a fast track to divorce.

I've been a runner for much of my life. A total lack of hand-eye coordination, an enterprising cross-country coach and a sort of guarantee to fit into my skinny jeans have all played their part in my enthusiasm for the sport.

Last April, I married a guy who in many ways is my polar opposite. We clash on political allegiance, peanut butter preference, and all things sports -- from the Cubs and White Sox to reasons for daily exercise.

I run to clear my head, to beat frustrations and to better sit still in my office cube.

Pat retains the rabidity of a varsity athlete. He plays hockey and golf to win --staying in shape has always taken a back seat to the number on the scoreboard.

MARATHON COVERAGE
30 years on the run Even opposites can keep in stride Fittin' your feet Wadsworth dad running to do his part Like skydiving, covering a Presidential campaign and eating one of those burritos "as big as your head," the LaSalle Bank Chicago Marathon is one of those things on my to-do-before-I-die list.And this seemed like the perfect year to do it.The chink in the chain came when he registered, too."You what?" I remember saying when I heard the news.I didn't believe a man who is so focused on winning would choose to train for a four-hour race where he'd be beaten by thousands.But he has. Despite a long commute to work and a couple nights a week devoted to grad school, Pat's stuck with running, and he's getting good.I'm proud, but running together has been a far greater source of frustration than learning to share our apartment's dollhouse-sized bathroom.He's approached every run with the mind games and trash talking he learned so well in high school and college.When I say, "We ran our best," he says, "We dominated." I'm focused on running the race strong -- plotting water stops and points to ingest energy gels to avoid hitting "the wall" early. He's hoping to qualify for Boston.There have been training runs where I've gotten so irritated that I've sprinted ahead and tried to lose him, or I've yelled at him for fairly innocent suggestions about running through a side stitch or picking up the pace. This is my sport, I've thought. How dare you try to take it over?I'd be lying if I didn't admit that Pat's experiment with marathon running has made me better. I'm fitter, faster, and far more driven than I would have been alone. What's more, I've started to view myself as not just a runner, but an athlete.Sunday's marathon will be another test for us. We'll undoubtedly bicker, chide and irritate each other at points along the course. But I also know that we'll cross the finish line together -- quite the milestone for such polar opposites.