On Running

I ran 10 miles on Saturday.  That's right, 10 miles.  I know it doesn't sound like much to a marathoner, but it was my first attempt and success at double digits.

This Sunday, 5 days from now, is the Long Beach Half Marathon.  I'm excited and a little nervous.  I'm not so much nervous about the actual run as I am about just doing something new and it being unfamiliar.  I think adrenaline will get me through the final 3 miles, so I'm not worried about that.  But when something is new and weird, it can be nerve-wracking.  At least there should be a feeling of camaraderie, as my dad said, that's really cool at races like that.

On another note, I absolutely LOVE what running has done for my body.  I'm in better shape now than I've ever been, both mentally and physically.  I feel thin but STRONG.  I feel lean and muscular and for probably the first time in my life, confident about my body.  I can put jeans on and not be a skinny ballerina and look at myself in the mirror and say, "Hey, I like my body - I look good!"  I even went to ballet on a random Wednesday a few weeks ago and wore a leotard and cut off tights (like bike shorts) and felt good.  I could look at skinny people and finally NOT think, "ugh I feel fat."

I know what you're thinking.  You're thinking, "How on earth can you EVER feel fat?"  Yes, I know.  It sounds ridiculous.  But if you've never lived and breathed the ballet world as I have for essentially my entire life, you can't really understand it.  And if you can't understand it, in some ways I envy you.

And on that note, I'm getting up at 4:30 to get my last 5 mile run before Sunday.  Wednesday will go down to 3, and Thursday down to 2.  Yesterday was rest, today was a 2 mile walk, Friday will be a walk, and Saturday will be REST.

Good night Monday!  I won't miss you...