Stomach Knotting Excitement

In 14 hours I will run a 5K that is monumental in my life's journey.

Ok wow that statement is big.....could it really be true????

To me.....yes it is very much true...and in multiple ways. New Years is a time when we all get reflective and resolute. Some of us ponder all the things in our lives that we don't so much like....and make resolutions to make them better. The one I made last year wasn't that kind of resolution. It was one that was designed to push me to be more than I was at the moment I made it. I had found running in 2010.....and used it as a way to help drop weight and feel more healthy. I started training in August for the Ragnar Relay in January of 2011. In the process of taking on that much running.....running helped me find myself. So last New Year's Eve I made a resolution that would help me continue to challenge myself all year. I resolved that I was going to run 100 miles "competitively" in 2011.

How many of us keep those resolutions though? Every January I am cursing all the people who resolved to lose weight and invade my gym and keep me from my treadmill. And by mid-February they have all given up and I have my gym back. And as far as resolutions are concerned....I am usually one of those people. (Although the gym wasn't ever one of my resolutions) :) But this year was different.

Tomorrow morning I will lace up my running shoes and hit the pavement in Ashburn, VA at a race called Ringing in Hope (kind of appropriate). And when I cross that finish line, I will have completed just over 101 miles in 2011. I feel so much excitement over that. This will be the first New Year's resolution I have EVER kept! I pushed myself to run distances I never used to imagine. I remember just contemplating a 5K and thinking how far it felt. Now when I am training, I run a 5K as a MINIMUM distance. This race will not only mark the challenge of the last year of my life, but will celebrate me as a runner. A word I would never have imagined using when describing myself. And more importantly, it will celebrate my accomplishment. One that is representative of all I have overcome in my life since I found running just by simply pushing myself to be more than I am in the moment. Just like I do every time I lace up my shoes.

Thank you for your continued interest in my journey. I am so happy to share it with all of you.

XOXO - Jenn

Let the Countdown Begin

No not until Christmas Day....although if you ask my 10 year old....there are only 4 days left :) I am talking about the countdown to the Ragnar Relay from Miami to Key West with 12 crazy Team MDAA members!! Only 15 days remain until I am in a van for 2 days with 5 of my craziest runner friends!

The next part of my post has mixed emotions for me. I am excited to tell you about the change in my runner position and the new routes I will get to see as I run this year. But the reason for me changing positions is a sad one. Unfortunately, due to an injury, one of our veteran Mia-KW runners had to drop out this year :( Jeff's presence will definitely be missed this year in Van 1. As a result of his need to drop out, I asked to change to his runner position. Jeff had been runner #2 with a very cool slate of routes for this year. While the total mileage is actually less than I was supposed to run, it is still 18 miles (2 more than I ran last year).

I am beyond excited for these new routes. The first leg of the race that I will be responsible for is 4.4 miles through the city of Miami. Admittedly, there isn't really much that excites me about this leg. Its on running trails, near a city, and I will likely be running around 7 AM. But it will be a good way to start the race :) The second leg is an entirely different animal. And yes, I intended that to be a pun. Why?? Because my second leg of the race will be 4.7 miles total, of which 3.5 will be on the Everglades Trail. Get the pun now? Oh yes...that's right....gators! Jeff and another teammate (Mike) ran this section last year and we did pull over and get out of the van to try to spy gators....and oh yes we did! I am entirely NOT worried about gators actually being near me when I run.....its just a VERY cool concept! Don't ya think? And finally my last leg of the race is a 9.1 mile stint across the famous 7 mile bridge!!!!

I can't believe I get to run the distance of this bridge. So cool. Just check it out! (photo courtesy of Daniel Schwen)

Needless to say, I am excited about the race. I am still coming up short on my fundraising....so any help you can provide would be greatly appreciated. To donate, visit this page :) Thanks for your continued interest and encouragement!

XOXO - Jenn