OK....don't be a LOSER!!!

Today is March 18, the day before my practice race, and I have toyed all day with how I can get out of this. I started with the excuse that I have been on spring break all week and just was "too tired". That was too generic. I seriously considered faking an illness.....hmmm...still a thought. I have checked the weather 4 times this hour for tomorrow's forecast (praying for rain) but none seems to be coming and finally I considered writing this blog today about how being a Loser is ok with me.
Still thinkin it through!!! JUST KIDDING> I have tried so hard up to this point to train, I am not gonna let my spring break laziness keep me from showin up tomorrow. I may be the last one across the finish line at the Irish-Italian festival 5k (keep it mind...this is my PRACTICE RACE :) ) but I will get across it. I have heard they give you cookies at the finish line. Maybe I have delusions of granduer (SP???) but in any event...stay tuned to see how it goes tomorrow. I will be visualizing for most of the day tomorrow (that's what tiger woods and eli manning do....I've heard) so please no emails, phone calls, distractions (I can't even write this....I'm laughin so hard) as I am mentally preparing for this race. :) If any of you would like to drop off some "good luck brownies" however, I will stop visualizing long enough to accept them.
ANYWHO....I'm super nervous and a tad embarrased, but I have to take this first step! Success is failure turned inside out right????

DAY 18

Alrighty people....the countdown to March 19th is on!!! 12 days...doesn't seem like enough time but then again this is my Practice Race...I ran 3.3 miles today in 43:30...AGAIN not fast, almost embarrasinly slow...but I finished. Now begins my shape up till race day which will include no consumption of alchohol, eating right, and getting plenty of rest,.....I know I can do the plenty of rest thing. Eating right won't be easy, but doable....and no wine will excrutiating but rewarding. Very busy on the homefront today with kids, Iep's, flat tires, rearranging of dr's visits, meeting with the "big school" people, so I must crank up my broomstick and make this one a short blog...Keep thinking of me as I attempt to "healthy UP" myself before this race!!! :)

DAY 17

Ok...things are officially getting weird. I tacked on another 4 miles to my week...brining the week up to 10 miles so far....holy snikee.. and to top it off, I did a serious of weights to increase my arm strength (something which I never really have had the desire to do!) Although I added 0 weight to the bench-press bar, I proudly hoisted it above my head and began 15 reps...I even think I have the lingo for exercise correct now...I told you, this blog will be weird. I'm gonna set the stage for your mental picture....Remember when Rocky fought Ivan Drago the seemingly unstoppable russian.....Well I'm usually more rocky like, you know small, weak, underdog.....but today I was Ivan.
Hmmm...maybe that was an exaggeration.. but I was wearing red....like he did in the fight.
Anywho, I have figured something very interesting out about running. if you can push through the first two miles, the subsequent miles get less excruitiating. you just kinda get confused and "out of it" and keep running. I guess that's how the great Forrest Gump did it. I find this week, that after mile 2 I don't have the energy to think....or worry...and I can't tell you what's even on my ipod after about 2 miles. and it's stinkin cool.....a blank mind is a terrible thing to waste!!!!!!!!!! :)

DAY 16

Well, a big day in Run Melissa Run land. Day 16 brought me to 3.2 miles of running (with a blazing finish time of 43:22...LOL) but I never stopped to walk.....YIPEEEEEE. My husband went with me to "check out the gym" and stepped on the treadmill beside me and that little bit of competition, pushed me to my goal. I guess I am my mother's child!!!!!! :) Stepping off that treadmill I was almost euphoric. I still can't believe MY body can do that....but more so, I can't believe my MIND can do that. For the first time in a very long time, I felt like I was NOT a quitter. NOT a slacker. However I did feel a bit heavy towards the end. My strides at mile 2.7-3.2 were not a "gazelle like" as I would have hoped. More thirsty man in the desert-esque!!! but nonetheless, I FINISHED>>>maybe not with the personal swagger I usually have, but what the hay, this ain't no beauty pageant. Although having some competition next to me on treadmill five did propel me to fight for the crown. I hear the theme song from chariots of fire. Oh what a day!!!!!