Friday, April 25, 2008

EMOTIONAL

What a week! I am so sorry I have been MIA. This feels like graduation week, when classes are spent outside on the tennis courts and all your family comes to town.

I took my final run before the half on Wednesday, and it was HOT. Keeping this up over the summer is going to be a blast and a half. We did 3.5 miles and I wore my lovely purple Team in Training jersey to make sure it would be decent for race day (don't worry, I washed it).

Thursday I went to work for a half of a day and then left after many well-wishes to "pick up my family at the airport" (AKA do stuff that I needed to get done before my family arrives today). I went to the Health and Fitness Expo downtown to retrieve my number and that was quite an experience. I got a tiny taste of how crowded this thing is going to be (the Country Music Marathon is the fourth largest marathon and the second largest half marathon in the United States). Hoping that some of these people were in town for that evening's Bon Jovi concert, I tried for 20 minutes to find a place to park. Finally I found a meter spot and made my way into the belly of the Nashville Convention Center to fight the Expo crowd and stand in line, right? Nope. Whomever is running this race has the Expo down to a science. I spent maybe three minutes picking up my mandatory information, and the other 57 minutes walking around looking at all the booths (picking up free stuff along the way).

I almost cried when I was handed my number. I have worked so hard; I just can't believe it's here.

After some errands, I came back home and got ready to meet up with a friend to see Spirit of the Marathon. It's a documentary about six runners as they prepare for the 2005 Chicago Marathon. What was funny to me was each runner's friends and family's reactions to their training. For instance, one lady (a first timer) was asked if the training affected her marriage. Her husband replied, "It hasn't affected it, I just don't understand it. Like, anything more than five miles? That's what public transportation is made for: the bus, a cab, the train. I have no idea why she'd rather run that far, especially when she only ends up back where she started." Ha. Of course I was crying by the end of the movie, as all six runners cross the finish line, partially because I was so inspired and partially because I'm only running a wimpy half. Ha. Even so, I connected to a lot of what the runners - especially the first timers - said and did in their preparation and overall feelings.

Unfortunately, the crying didn't stop there. I cried a lot last night. I know people run half marathons and full marathons and much more all the time, but y'all remember back in November, actually October is when I started training, I just didn't tell anyone until November, why I started running this. I needed a goal and a process and something to work for, and it has definitely been all of those things. I didn't think I could do this. You may have been able to detect my self-doubt. But the support I've gotten has been overwhelming; not just for this weekend - EIGHTEEN people are coming to celebrate at dinner with me tonight - but the past few months and days as well as friends have sent cards and positive thoughts and told me they are praying no rain and no pain. It's just been such an investment, emotionally and physically, and I can't believe it's finally here. I am ready to graduate.

But having said that, I am also ready to party! My brother-in-law will be here in a little over two hours so I need to get moving. I still need to write my name on my jersey, drive the last few miles of the course and most importantly, figure out how to stop the rain. It's still 50% chance but it's supposed to hit at 6 a.m. Awesome.

Regardless, tomorrow morning should be really cool. Someone on my team hired a bagpiper (?!) to play for us before we march over to the start line. Paint my face and call me William Wallace! Also, a friend is meeting me at the start line to take my picture and calm me down if I need it.

So, say some prayers guys! Here we go!

8 comments:

  1. lj, i wish i could be there to cheer you on. you are quite an inspiration and i am so proud of you! the rain (which there WON'T be) can't stop your feelings of accomplishment and pride. it will be a day to remember, i'm sure! GOOD LUCK! :)

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  2. wooo whoooo I am SO SO proud of you. tomorrow is going to be awesome and even if it does rain a little, maybe it'll cool you off (?) love you a bunch!!

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  3. Good Luck LJ!! You are unbelievable and I can't wait till we start doing tri's together!! hahaha. Ill be prayin for ya!

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  4. Yay Lindsay!I can't wait to see you cross the finish line!

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  5. I love you and wish I were going to be in town to see you cross the finish line.

    You've worked towards a great accomplishment and have made your "mom & dad" proud.

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  6. You deserve all the amazing feelings you're going to have tomorrow as you finally do this. Good luck, and I can't WAIT to read all about it.

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  7. No triathlons. Not until they remove the biking part. I HATE biking. I'd sooner run the whole marathon.

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Oh goody!

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