I know I have been MIA lately, I guess i just got overwhelmed. You see there isn't just one thing that happened, there is a whole list. One of the most significant was the loss of my thirteen year old Cocker Spaniel. He was my constant companion and closest confidant. Maybe one day I can share more about him, but I'm just not ready, I miss him terribly. Then of course the holidays hit, then there was another significant event, my daughter suffered a loss, her marriage ended. I took a weeks vacation and so on and so on. During my times of feeling overwhelmed I had to let something go, so the blog was the first thing that lost my grip.
I can hardly remember where I left off. I guess I owe an update on my training for the Tybee Island Half Marathon. It won't take long to give it, I simply have not kept my commitment. There, I said it. The race is just 9 days away and my body is not ready. I have been so off and on with training that it can't really be called training. I have become so desperate I have started trying to get my mind trained since my body won't be ready. I have read books over the years on mind control and learned through multiple authors that if you envision yourself doing something you can and will accomplish what you envisioned. So, for the last six weeks I frequently close my eyes several times during the day and visualize myself running like a gazelle for thirteen point one miles. I can see myself thirty pounds thinner and very fashionable dressed, crossing the finish line looking fatigued but not outdone. Fantasy, it is a wonderful thing. I will let you know how this all works out.
I am looking forward to being with my daughters on this race weekend. We had planned to do this as a girl's weekend. One of the three daughters would not be running because she was going to be just two and a half weeks postpartum. Well, the baby is now 9 days over due, so if he is born tonight(which he won't be) she will only be 9 days postpartum on race day. Her chances of being there even as a cheerleader greatly diminish with each passing and unproductive day. I am thinking about having the baby served with an eviction notice. Personally, I think she has done something to deliberately delay this birth to avoid having to witness my grand finish.
My running daughters will be there, I have not shared with them my new training tactics, no sense giving them any more advantage than they already have (like youth and physical fitness). They will run and they will finish in half the time it takes me. I have recruited some friends and one sister in law to join the fun. So far they have not pulled out, but I have gotten questions like, "are you still planning on going even though the baby hasn't arrived?". Of course I am going! I am not having the baby, my daughter is, how could I face anyone with the excuse my daughter just had a baby? How could they face anyone saying, "we didn't go because my friend's daughter just had a baby"? Their butts will be on the road on Saturday February 6, 2010.
No excuses are not to be had, we can do this. If anyone of us had an excuse to quit, it's my daughter Terry. She is going through a difficult time right now. A partnership that ends after seven and half years is an emotional trauma for anyone. Life as known has completely changed, some days it's hard to lift your head and go, some nights it's hard to sleep due to consuming thoughts and dread of the unknown. Although she is at times sad and scared, she has maintained her brightness, hope and goodwill. Where others would become embittered and dysfunctional, she has pushed herself through. She is looking forward to the race, to the good feeling that taking your body to edge provides. She will leave the negative behind. I want to be there with her, she can count on me being there. I'll be right there envisioning myself gliding over the finish line being totally inspired by my daughter.
