Test your own limits and keep going
Even though that bit of wisdom was on the inside of my Dove Milk Chocolate today, I don’t think it meant, “Think you can only eat 5 of these? Go ahead, eat more! Keep going! You can DO IT!” Seriously, I don’t need a fortune to tell me to eat more chocolate, but it’s nice to have the permission to do so. (I refrained, by the way. The chocolate, he will not win!)
BUT! I did take the sentiment to heart, with regard to my upcoming half marathon on Sunday. Sure, I’ve never run 13.1 miles before. My limit is 10 miles. That’s as far as I go. Ten. That’s it. But on Sunday, at mile 10, I will keep going because 1) awesome people have donated over $3,000 to the cause, in good faith that I will actually complete this endurance event for which I solicited donations, 2) I want a freaking medal, 3) my husband, my friends, and perfect strangers will be cheering for me as I pass them on the course and 4) I want to run farther than I’ve ever run before. Ever.
Yes, I want to run the distance of Manhattan from tip to tip. I want to pound the pavement running around Golden Gate Park for nearly 3 hours (and hopefully stay under that time, please, oh please). It might be raining. It will be cold. At times, I will rather be on my couch in my jammie pants and slippers under the soft and fuzzy Green Bay Packer blanket, playing Super Mario Galaxy on the Wii, while eating Dove dark chocolates and sipping Murrieta’s Well Zarzeula. But instead of jammie pants, there will be panting. Instead of slippers, Brooks running shoes. My black running pants and official TNT race shirt will keep me warm and toasty, and I will be playing my iPod. Chocolate and wine will be replaced by Jelly Belly Sports Beans and Gatorade.
And when I am done, when I have crossed the finish line, there will be tears.* Tears of joy, of pain, of relief. Tears that say, “Sweet Baby Jeebus, I did it!” Also, possibly tears of not receiving a medal because I ran slower than 6,000 people and those tears will say “I ran a @#$%ing half marathon and all I @#$%ing got was this @#$%ing stupid @#$%ing t-shirt. @#$%ing @#$%!!”
I am ready.
*Coincidentally, this also often happens while I play Super Mario Galaxy.
You go girl! I can’t wait to hear all about it over a glass of wine and some chocolate!
Here’s the good news. It shouldn’t be raining on Sunday. Take this from someone who checks the forecast several times a day due to her job.
And I guess I’ll be hearing it all with Tobie over wine and chocolate.
I’ve been thinking of you all week, and will be checking in with Matte on Sunday. I’m so excited for you, and I know you can do it!
BTW, I WALKED a half marathon (with very short bursts of running) in 3 hours and 30 minutes. 3 hours? No problem!!!
Go, go, go! And when you’ve crossed that finish line, you should definitely see about pushing your chocolate limits. I’m sure that’s what Dove really meant.
Wow! It is here already? Have fun? Can you have fun? I mean I wouldn’t have fun. But hopefully YOU can have fun! Or maybe the fun is when it is over? When you get to eat anything you want and bask in the glow of accomplishment.
I know you are going to do awesome! BTW, in your honor, I will be sitting in my jammie pants eating dove chocolate and sipping wine on Sunday (which happens to be what I do on Sunday anyway!) Good luck!
your mil will be thinking of her awesome dil sun. morning. i am so proud of you. you will make your goal, i just know it. all the people who have faith in you will be pushing you forward, especially after mile 10. matte better have some dove chocolate with him. you will deserve it!!!
With all you’ve done so far just to prepare for this, you’re already MY hero!