One Week From Today...

It's a gorgeous day today: temps in the low 60s and sunny.  The best part is that I am at home!  After an incredibly busy week, I was determined to stay home, and to do what I wanted, which thus far has included staying in bed until 10:15, watching a worthless Lifetime movie, eating Grippos chips and monster cookies leftover from a band party last night, straightening up from said party, and working on laundry.  I do have a rather large stack of papers that need to be graded, and I vow to get to that, but first I needed to write.  Since school started I haven't had much time to update my blog.  Between work, running, band obligations, and Thirty-One parties, spare time is at a minimum.  Life should slow down a bit in November - oh, wait - then holiday preparations begin, so maybe it will be January before things slow down. 

One week from today is the Evansville Half Marathon.  I, along with Gary and several friends, am running it.  A half marathon is 13.1 miles.  That's a long way to run.  Jackie and I have run 13.1 miles, so we know that we can complete the mileage - in Tell City, on our familiar routes, without 3000 other runners, and without the pressure of having to finish.  Can we run it in a race?  We are not concerned with placing (that would be crazy), we just want to finish in a respectable time, without walking, puking, or injuring ourselves.  We have trained adequately according to all of the literature, but one just never knows what kind of day it will be.  My stomach is my main concern (Thanks, Mom, for giving me your unpredictable stomach!).  I know what to eat, but my stomach is the first to go when I am nervous, and I certainly don't want to spend time in a porta-potty!  The most nerve-racking part will be the drive to Evansville - at 4:30 in the morning - and just waiting for the gun to go off.  Once we are about a mile into it, I will relax and get into a groove.  Jackie and I plan to stick together; we have spent countless hours pounding the pavement together, so we want to complete this journey together (and neither of us wants to spend two hours and twenty minutes running alone - we like to chat).  Our other running partner, Jennifer, will be much faster than the two of us, so we are counting on her to be doing cartwheels at the finish line as we cross!  I have often read that visualizing a goal does wonders for achieving that goal, so I have been visualizing Jackie and I crossing that finish line, and I have a spot reserved on my car for a 13.1 sticker.  There was a time, not too long ago, that running a half marathon was not even a consideration.  Now it's actually a possibility.  I can't wait to join other runners as I reach this life-goal. 

Last weekend, Gary, my sister Bobbi, and I ran the Susan Komen Race for the Cure.  If you ever have an opportunity to participate in this event, take it.  It is an awe-inspiring morning.  It is not about running fast; it is about supporting an important cause.  Both years that we have run, the weather has been perfect.  My favorite shirts of the day:  "Save 2nd Base" (get it??) and "Just for Tits and Giggles". 

There were 14,000 people registered for the Race for the Cure!  The majority were walkers.  I decided to run with my sister, and I am so glad that I did.  She hadn't been running much, but ran 3.1 miles that morning without stopping.  I was so impressed!  The second half of the race we were also with Gary.  That was the first race that he and I crossed the finish line together.  I am so proud that he continues to challenge himself.  I believe that he has inspired a lot of people who have seen him out running.  Most know that he has an artificial knee, and that running isn't easy for him.  What a testament to the power of desire and dedication! 

If you are awake at 7:00 am next Sunday, say a little prayer for me.  I will be shaking in my Asics!  I will most certainly be writing about my experience, and who knows, maybe next year some of you will join us!  I want to wish Jackie, Jennifer, Kim, and Jennifer C good luck in the race!!  Kim, we know you will kick butt - make us proud!!