Sunday, January 18, 2009

Getting Ready to Run!!!

Oh yay!  I am running a half-marathon today!  

Yesterday waiting for the plane, I realized that 90% of the passengers were runners.  Well, the excitement was infectious.  By the time I got to Phoenix (couldn't help using that phrase in this post), I still was not sure I was going to do the race.  I got on the light rail to go downtown for the expo.  Who got on the train and stood next to me?  An 85 year old man who was going to walk a full marathon.  26.2 miles.  On a fake knee.  85.  

Well, surely I can pull 13.1 miles out of this old body, no matter how sick I have been.   I am really OK now.  I will just bring a bandana to blow my nose into.  I have a headache this morning, but I am hopeful it will go away.  I will just go out to enjoy myself, enjoy the course, the bands, the other runners.  I am not going to set any personal records.  I will start out walking and may end up walking.  I may walk the whole thing.  If I want to - I will!  So there!

I am psyched about this race.  I have never participated in an event this big.  

The weather is beautiful.  It was 75º yesterday.  It is supposed t be 80º today - which is a bit hot for me, but I hope I will be done with the race before it reaches past the mid 70s.  

Some blogging peeps are picking me up this morning.  We went out for dinner last night and it was just marvelous.  We talked about how amazing it is to meet other bloggers.  If you have read their blogs for a little while, there are no surprises.  

I am in a pretty hotel, in a pretty city, doing a pretty thing with about 40,000 others.  

I don't need to tell you this would never happen if I was drinking - do I?

Let's stay sober today, OK?

10 comments:

dAAve said...

It doesn't matter how fast you put one foot in front of the other.
Just do it!

Kathy Lynne said...

have a great run! btw..could you just have a little chat with my husband..or maybe send that 85 yr old man over. Thanks!

Scott W said...

*whistle whistle* Woo Hoo!!!

J-Online said...

How wonderful you are able to walk/run the race today. Enjoy yourself.

Pammie said...

I am so Happy for you Mary! Walk,skip or run!
Love all your little accessories. You'll be the cutest one out there I'm sure. ENJOY

Unknown said...

Wow...this is amazingly powerful in the simplicity...your right this is something not done while drinking...as is most of life.

Good luck and I'll be sending you warm healing thoughts for a quick run with a speedy recovery.

Hugs

Trailboss said...

I'm so glad you are feeling better and pumped about the race. Good luck and most of all enjoy yourself!

steveroni said...

Just a few years before "By the time I got to Phoenix..."

was another, with the words, "I Wanna be Around...to Pick up the Pieces"

Talking about the 85-yr-old guy, of course!

Anonymous said...

Go Mary Christine, GO!

Willa

Hula Girl at Heart said...

The older folks who pass me up are always the ones who motivate me most. I keep telling myself, it's not the the speed of the journey, but the journey itself. Congratulations!