6 days left...

I won't run today, I won't run today, I won't run today....That is what I am going to have to keep telling myself this week...I am going to try and get a short run or two in, but that is it...I may be a little grumpy until Saturday but after that I should be fine...This is the last week before the big race on Saturday and I am having lots of mixed emotions...happy, nervous, excited, scared - all in one...

It was funny this weekend when I ran with my friends Libby and Shannon on Saturday, we were running part of a route that I had run with Libby the first time I met her and we had talked then about her doing the Rocky Raccoon 50K. I was secretly so excited because I had wanted to do that race too, but up until that point 5 months ago, I didn't really know anyone that was even interested in doing it.  So as we ran and as she talked about her goals for the fall and her upcoming races, I secretly made a note to remember the Rocky Raccoon 50K race.  Over the last few months, Libby and I have gotten to be good friends and running buddies and eventually after that initial conversation about the 50K I told her I was interested in running it with her and her friend Corina.  She was more than happy to let me go with them.  So this weekend as I ran with her again along that route, it was almost like I had come full circle as we passed the spot along the run where we had talked about it for the first time.  I was thinking in my head as we ran, "Wow...this is my last long run before the race and this is exactly where the seed was planted in my mind to do it."  It was really kind of cool.

The last 5 months have been nothing short of an incredible ride.  I have been so blessed through new running friends like Libby and so many more that have introduced me to so many new people and so many new challenges.  I am pushing myself more than I would ever do on my own and I love it.  I am so thankful to North Texas Runners and the friendships and difference it has made in my life.  I can guarantee you that if it weren't for that group, I would not be 6 days away from running my first 50K trail race with my girlfriends.

I don't know how everyone else is feeling about the race.  I feel strong, but I haven't done 31 mile ever so I am hoping it is strong enough.  I figure I am strong enough to get started on the second 15.5 mile loop and if I start it, I gotta finish it one way or another, right? :-)  So I think that will be my goal, finish...and hopefully feel good.  As long as my friends don't let the gators and the prisoners get me, we should be in good shape!

Huntsville, Texas - watch out!