Butterflies Or Wrestling Armadillos????

One of those are in my tummy right now.... which one I'm not sure, but it's one of them!!!! I've picked up my race packet and gotten my clothes all ready for the race, but I'm nervous! Why, I'm not really sure. I know I can run this 10k. I've been training since February 1st... well, really I've been training for a year, but seriously on a training plan for 14 weeks. I can DO this! I'm just really nervous!!!!

This weekend is the first anniversary of my becoming a runner. Seriously! One year ago today I could barely run for 60 seconds without feeling like I was going to DIE!!!! Nine weeks later I ran my first 5k. It was a slow and painful race, and I finished in just over 41 minutes, but I didn't die. That was my goal! Three months after that I ran in my second 5k. I finished that one in 36:37. Shaved off five minutes, and I was thrilled! That was about five months into my new life as a runner, but I still didn't FEEL like a runner. Not that I knew what that was supposed to feel like, I just still didn't consider myself a runner.

So maybe it's the weight loss that has accompanied this journey, maybe it's the new shoes, or maybe something else... but today I honestly can say I feel like a runner!!!! Tonight after work I went to the place where we picked up our race packets so that you don't have to fight the crowd in the morning. There were a TON of runners there. You know what? I wasn't the oldest, I wasn't the fattest, I probably wasn't even the newest! I was just "one of the runners!"!!!! And that feels AMAZING!!!! Nobody looked at me like "what's SHE doing here???" Everyone was encouraging (which runner's are, by the way, we love everyone!), and I got so many smiles and words of "good luck tomorrow!" I was nearly in tears walking back to my car. I know I'm an emotional wreck... but it was really nice and completely unexpected, because I'm still somewhat "new" to this thing of thinking of myself as an athlete! And it's AWESOME!!!!

So, tomorrow morning I will wake up, eat my breakfast, put on my running clothes and drive to the parking place to walk to the starting line (after at least one last potty stop). I will line up toward the back of the pack (because I don't want to be trampled on, I'm not THAT fast!) and I will run. I will run as fast as I feel comfortable, or just a little faster than that. I will focus on my breathing and my pace. I will finish the race. And I will smile at all the volunteers along the way. Because I am a RUNNER! And we are happy people!!!!! My only wish is that someone would be there for me to take my picture when it's all over, but hubby is stuck on the road for the weekend and my kids just can't be counted on not to wander off at this point, let alone be awake and coherent at 8am on a Saturday!!!! So when I get home I'll post something on Facebook, because that's how I roll... and I'll feel even more like a runner.

But for tonight, it's either butterflies or wrestling armadillos in my tummy. Not sure which, but I hope they calm down soon so I can get my rest!!!!!