Princess Runner

I laid out my outfit and accessories today to take a picture and kitty decided to inspect it. There will be some additions, like bright orange stickers on the hat and my name written on the shirt.

I am impressed with myself because I managed to put a drawstring in my running skirt all by myself.

Over the weekend I took my husband’s bicycle map of Chicago and marked the marathon path with a highlighter. It was my first time carefully studying the route and I was amazed at how much my personal Chicago history is connected with the route.

During the marathon, I will pass by or near (not necessarily in this order):

Hopefully I will be able to spend some time thinking about each location as I pass it and remembering the happy memories (except for when I pass the law school). That should keep my mind occupied a bit.

Fundraising update: The winners of the charity raffle have been notified. Thanks to all who participated! I have less than $100 to raise!

It hurt.  I cried.  It went on forever.  It really hurt.  I finished.  I cried some more.

Now I get to do at all again (and then some) in front of more than a million people?

Somehow the excitement has turned into dread.

I have to run 20 miles tomorrow. Think about how that sounds for a minute. TWENTY. TWO-ZERO. Yes, I realize that the time will come when I will have to run 26.2 miles, but then there will be cheerleaders and bands so it will be fun. Tomorrow? Will not be fun.

I spent twenty minutes running around my house this morning throwing clothes and digging through the laundry basket trying to find my running skirt. It will be my official marathon bottoms so I want to wear it tomorrow for my “dress rehearsal.”

I tried to remember the last time I saw my running skirt. I was filled with horrible dread when I realized that the last time I remember seeing it was at the hotel following the 10 mile race. Oh no! Would I have to go all the way there this afternoon to get it? What if they did not have it? What if one of the hotel worker suddenly looked a lot cuter on her runs because of a new skirt she “acquired”?

Then I decided to check the bedroom one more time and there it was : hanging nicely on a hanger behind a shirt. Not only had I brought it back from the hotel, I had already washed it and did not even remember.

I won’t tell you the litany of curse words that I yelled at the Fed Ex truck as it sped out of my parking lot after I had buzzed the delivery man in and gotten no response. I figured that he had left one of those stupid “we missed you” stickers downstairs.

My new shoes, the ones I will be wearing in the marathon that I am also supposed to wear for my 20-miler was what they were delivering. I ran downstairs, prepared to call the number off of the sticker and give them a piece of my mind. I already had it prepared in my head, “Do you think I would PAY for OVERNIGHT if I wouldn’t be home to get the F-ing PACKAGE??” (Never mind that the overnight delivery was free from Zappos). When I got downstairs, though, there was no sticker. Just a pretty box from Zappos.

So, two major freak-outs over two small things has led me to realize that I am indeed freaking out about tomorrow’s 20-miler. I pity the husband tonight when he will (no doubt) have the nerve to suggest that I stay up until the end of the Cubs game because it is ONLY 9:30.

I had 16 miles scheduled for last Saturday.  By 1/2 mile completed I already had four mosquito bites.  You would think after having just seen a news story a couple of nights before about how all of the standing water from the heavy rains we have had resulted in a influx of mosquitoes would have prompted me to wear bug spray.  You would be wrong.

When I stopped to refill my water bottle at mile four at the Team in Training cooler, I was ATTACKED by a SWARM of mosquitoes.  It was like those movies will the attack bees or something.  I would try to open my bottle, had to stop to swat them away.  It was awful.

I did see two cute chipmunks so that was nice.

I got really bored of running and actually quit early, something I haven’t done yet in this training.   Well, I think it was a combination of boredom and fear of having to go back through the woodsy part of the run again with those mosquitoes.

Thanks to everyone who has donated for the charity raffle.  You still have from a week from tomorrow to buy a ticket!

I am quite near my goal of raising $1400 for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society. I am hoping that this raffle will push me over that goal.

The deal:

For every $5 donated to my online account from now through September 18th, 2007, at 5:00 p.m. central time, you get one entry into the raffle. For example, if you donate $5-9, you get one entry in the raffle. If you donate $10-14, you will get two entries.

The raffle prizes (one name will be drawn per prize):

A $10 gift card to Cosi restaurant.

A card good for one loaf a bread per month for a year from Panera Bread.

A card good for one baker’s dozen of bagels per month for a year from Einstein Bros bagels.

Bonus prize:

In addition, the person who donates the most money to my online account between now and September 18th at 5:00p.m., central time will win a $25 gift card to Pottery Barn! In the event that the top donation amount is given by more than one person, there will be a drawing to select one winner. The person or persons donating highest amount will also be entered into the general raffle with the amount of entries determined by their donation amount per “the deal” above.

The details:

When you fill out the online donation form, make sure that you use your correct name and address because that is where the prize will be sent in the event that you win!

Thank you to Cosi, Panera, and Einstein for their generous donations for this raffle.

Click here to donate and enter the raffle.

On Monday, my mom and I ran the Park Forest Scenic 10 mile race. Of all of the races that I have done (about 15), this was probably my favorite. After experiencing so many races that were understaffed and not well thought-out, it was quite refreshing to have an event that was so well put together.

The best part of the event was the way that the community of Park Forest really supported the event and all the participants. From the many great volunteers, many of them children, to the hundreds of people sitting out on in their lawns and on the sidewalks cheering us all on, it was truly a community event. The most amazing thing was that they did not wane in their support throughout the day and I know this because I was fairly near the end of the group of 1700 runners.

Of course the best part of the day was running the event with my mom, although she did not seem to be enjoying herself too much because the heat was pretty miserable. Luckily she was able to run through sprinklers set out by friendly residents and through water sprayed from people’s garden hoses. She told me today that she did have fun, she “just didn’t know it at the time.”

Here are some more things that I enjoyed about the day, in bullet form:

• The 50-something year old cheerleaders, complete with pom-poms.
• The 8-year old girl playing the violin, who reminded me of a younger me.
• The cute kids volunteering to hand out water. They were so into their jobs, that some of them went farther up the course so that they could be the one to hand me water. At one stop three of them all helped my mom by dumping the cups of water into her watter bottle.
• The two girls who said “My name is (name), What’s yours?” When I told them, they said, “Go (name) Go!”
• The lady with the cowbell.
• The string quartet at the entrance/exit of the forest preserve.
• The rows of cups of water still available even though it was almost two hours into the event.
• The number of people who said “and she’s still smiling” as I smiled and waved in thanks for their support.
• The medal. (I wish all races had medals)
• The water sprayer/shower thing that I was able to stand under after the race.
• My husband, the wonderful photographer. He was allowed to pull up a chair and sit at the finish line to get my mom and I as we crossed.

I think that my training runs would go a lot more smoothly if I had a crowd lining the route to cheer me on. It makes me optimistic for the marathon, because I hear there will be a “few” people there. Here are some photos of the day: