Decisions, Decisions...

13.1 miles
It would be like running from my previous apartment back in Tulsa, Oklahoma all the way downtown and back. It would be like running from my house to my favorite cupcake shop and back to my house about 7 times (which would be awesome because their cupcakes are crazy delicious).
Basically, it is 13.1 miles of challenge, will power and grit.
When I first thought of doing a half marathon I found a great race- flat and several months away but it is the same weekend of a wedding in another state so that was out. If I didn't do that race I realized that I would need to wait till next spring since races are few and far between during the winter and I feel like I can hardly breath when it's super cold.
Then last week I got a bit of a shock.....there is another race....an absolutely perfect sounding, fun, flat and cool race....a race that is 10 weeks away. Yikes! 10 weeks is nothing in terms of training. I have been looking at training programs and some of them are even 30 weeks!
The Race: The Surf Town Half Marathon. I really want to do it because part of it is at my absolute favorite beach-Watch Hill. The course winds around the adorable beach towns, along the ocean and the entire race is lined with bands playing fun beach music like Jimmy Buffet, steel drums and reggae. It is also suppose to have fun pre and post race activities plus an awesome goodie bag and I LOVE goodie bags!

How could you not want to run along this?

The problem: I can't run 13 miles. Luckily, there are training programs for 10 weeks that I could do, especially since I can go for around 5/6 miles right now. I am really scared though. It's kind of silly but I really don't want to finish last and I don't it to be a horrible experience because I am trying to do a race that my body isn't ready to do. Everything I have read says that first time runners shouldn't go in with a time goal and I don't really care too much about finishing under a certain time but I have this fear that I will shut down the course....that the sag wagon will come around and tell me that the streets are getting ready to open back up and that everyone but me is done. Trust me, it's not a completely irrational fear. Did you know some people run this in 1.5 hours? That definitely won't be me, unless I get to bring a bike along with me (or suddenly develop supersonic speed). I am thinking around 3 hours is doable, especially since the course is flat and has hydration stations every 1.5 miles, but who knows how slow I would be faced with the prospect of running for 3+ hours.
Anyway, I am really debating about doing this race. I talked about it with some friends who visited this week and I like the idea of training like I am doing it for a few weeks and seeing if it's something I want to do and can maintain for the full 10 weeks and then registering or conversely, start looking for another race with a more reasonable time frame.It's a big goal but I like the idea of challenging myself and getting big results but I want it to be the right time.
What do you think?