Worry Wart Part 4: Deep Breaths

I have anxiety issues.  I've admitted this before.  *Deep Breaths*

Do y'all remember Deep Thoughts by Jack Handey?   This was one of my faves:

"One thing kids like is to be tricked. For instance, I was going to take my little nephew to DisneyLand, but instead I drove him to an old burned-out warehouse. "Oh, no," I said, "DisneyLand burned down." He cried and cried, but I think that deep down he thought it was a pretty good joke. I started to drive over to the real DisneyLand, but it was getting pretty late."

See...deep breaths made me think of deep thoughts.  We are all on this roller coaster together, so hang on to your hats!

I've actually done a good job of staying calm this week, I promise...it's just that I will get excited and look at the course map and I get freaked out because 13.1 miles looks like a really long jaunt.  It was one thing when I ran 10 miles in my neighborhood by doing 4 laps of 2.5 miles each and then just thinking - hey...what's another 5K?!  This is like BAM!  In your face!  It's got my stomach all kinds of topsy turvy.  I keep wondering what if I can't do it...what if they kick me off the course cuz I'm too slow...what if I fail?!  Actually, the really funny thing is that unless you get injured, this race doesn't let you fail - if you are behind where they want you to be at mile 6.5, they shuttle you to mile 8.5 - how is that for service?!  No worries - I will not be needing this service.  Then I think how amazing will it be when I cross that finish line (see how I go back and forth) because a year ago there is no way I would have or could have even imagined even signing up for this let alone actually participating.  I know I can do this, though.  I really do.  I so got this.  I'm just being me.

One thing that I've done to try to calm this lunatic inside me is to read my friends' race reports.  I started with Lauren's 10 for Texas and then I read her Rock 'n' Roll Nashville Half Marathon.  Next I moved to Melissa's Women's Nike Half Marathon and her Rock 'n' Roll San Antonio Half.  Then, I moved onto That Pink Girl's Texas Half and finally onto Allie's Rock 'n' Roll Dallas Half.  These ladies inspire me!!!!

Yesterday, I discovered this e-article that was mentioning the "famous" peeps who are registered to run this race.  I put "famous" in quotes because it is basically one big reality show star line-up and I'm not so certain those peeps should be called famous.  I mean if I could potentially be running alongside Justin Timberlake, that would be a whole different story, but former Bachelor "star" Jake?  Not so much.  Anyway, that wasn't what put the knots in my stomach...it was the number of registrants for this race.  It's supposed to be 25,000 people.  OMG, y'all!!!  This is cRaZY!  I thought the 22,000 peeps for Houston is completely insane in the membrane and this is 3,000 more people?!  Yikes!  What if I come in last place?!  =P  I'm just kidding...I know I won't be last.  I'm more concerned with getting trampled to death cuz I'm so delicate and dainty, don't ya know?!

Well, I just wanted to leave you with my list of things that are in my quart size bag for the airplane because I'm like the mad packer and I am quite proud of what I was able to fit in my quart size bag.  I might need to sell my services.  It's that amazing.  Here goes:

2 packets of Justin's squeezable almond butter
1 bottle of 5-hour energy drink
hair spray
shampoo
conditioner
bath gel
tooth paste
Tiger Balm
Vaseline
sun screen
perfume
lip gloss
chap stick
deodorant

Now come on...how is that not impressive?  =)

Okay, no more posts until AFTER the race.  Best of luck to any/all racers this weekend.  Peace out!