Five on Friday: Pre-Race Jitters

Happy weekend, everyone! It's a pretty big weekend for this girl, because it's...  HALF-MARATHON WEEKEND!!!
(If you can't tell from the bold text and three exclamation points, I'm a little nervous/ excited/ anxious/ crazy/ all of the above.)  Since I'm having a hard time coming to terms with the fact I'll be running 13.1 miles on Sunday, I figured I'd do a little Five on Friday as a little reality check for myself.... Here are some things on my mind about the whole race thing: One.  What am I wearing?! I'm always a conscientious situational dresser, so it should be no surprise this is my number one thing. The weather is supposed to be fabulous in the fifties at the bright-and-early-seven-am start time, and it'll warm up from there. That means one of my favorite pairs of running capris, a light and breathable Nike tank, my Team in Training jersey (which is super short for some reason), my favorite Moving Comfort sports bra, my favorite pair of socks (because cotton socks plus Chelsea running equals baaaad blisters lately), and my new kicks.  Is it a mistake that the longest run I've done in these suckers before the big day is six miles? We'll see. 

Half Marathon Clothes by chelseaverhage 

Two. What if I hate it?! What if I have to walk?! What if I don't hydrate enough and I'm miserable?! What if I look like a double-chinned zombie in all of the pictures they take along the way? (Ew, I'm so vain, but I'm just being honest here...)

Three. Even worse.... What if I love it?! What if I get addicted to it and want to run another one?! I'm not sure I'm disciplined enough to train for that...

Fingers crossed I don't channel Dory.... As much as I love running, long distances just aren't my thang.

Four. How the HECK have I gained weight since I started training for this? Oops, that was a rhetorical question- I don't really need to replay all the times I used "Well, I'm running tomorrow...." as an excuse to eat that third cookie or piece of pizza...

Hehe. This may be semi-off-topic, but it just made me smile. And it's hard to smile when I remember the few pounds I need to lose... riiiight after I finish carbo-loading! ;)

Five.  Last but not least, my reasoning for running this half: my Uncle Mike. I am so grateful I've had the opportunity to train in his honor. Finishing on Sunday will mean so much more for me because it will be in memory of him. I've had the pleasure of raising $1335 for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society through Team in Training, and I've met some incredible people I can call my friends along the way. As hard as it was to run with gross blisters and shinsplints, and through torrential downpours, none of that momentary pain was even close to what cancer patients deal with on a daily basis. I'm proud I have the chance to represent Team in Training on Sunday, and I'm even more proud to represent and honor my Uncle Mike. 

Uncle Mike wearing one of his other hats: granddad. He was also a fantastic father, son, brother, and friend. 

Well, folks, that it. I think I've gotten out lots of my pre-race apprehensions and jitters, and I'm as ready as I'll ever be! Any well wishes, prayers, and cheers would be appreciated- I hope y'all have a fabulous weekend! 

One last thing- if anyone you know and love has battled leukemia or lymphoma, I'd love to wear a little ribbon in remembrance of them as I run.