154.0 - HM is 2 days away and I'm a mess

So the Race is less than 48 hours from now, and at this point I can't even think about the 13.1 miles ahead of me. I'm so preoccupied with all the stuff I have to do to get out of town and on the road. I don't handle travel well, I guess. I get so stressed about all that has to be packed (which seems like a ridiculous amount for such a short time period) and all that has to be done at the house and for the kids before we leave.

Like kenneling the dog. I almost forgot about her, until my hairdresser asked me Monday at my haircut how was the puppy and what are we doing with her while I'm at the race? Good grief, I'd completely forgotten about Lucy. Thankfully the Puppy Hotel has room for her (normally she will stay with family but they are going out of town too, so this is our only alternative).

Anywho, I won't list all the stupid details. Suffice it to say, I'll probably be exhausted before we even get in the car to drive 4 hours to Indy tomorrow.

DH is letting me take tomorrow off completely, so at least I'll have the morning to finish getting everything ready. We plan to leave for Indy around noon, and since they are an hour ahead of us, we'll get there around 5 p.m. Just in time to unpack, eat, talk, and hopefully fall asleep at a decent hour.

Because I have to wake up at 4 a.m. (my time) on Saturday morning. Which is insane. I don't do mornings, and I certainly don't do wee hour of the morning mornings. I am praying adrenaline will carry me through. Next year if I run this race, I am staying downtown so I don't have to wake up so ridiculously early.

I ran my last run of the week yesterday, 3 miles at a decent 11:15 min/mile avg. I tried to keep my pace around what the half should be, so I could "feel" how fast I should be running. I have a hard time staying consistent, which really I don't care about that much. If I have to walk, I'll walk a bit. I just don't want to wear myself out and go too fast early on, and I know I'll have to consciously slow myself down at the beginning of the race.

The 3 miler wasn't nearly enough for me, mentally. I'm beginning to understand Wendy's frustration at not being able to run a long run. I have been in a funk since the weekend (freaking PMS hormones, I hate them), and it's not letting up. The best I've felt in days was that hard 2 miles on the treadmill Monday. Then yesterday, when I was finally starting to feel good, I had to stop because my 3 miles were up and that's all my training plan said I should do. And I was bummed I couldn't run any more and didn't get my hit of endorphins.

I suppose it's a sign that running truly has infected me, through and through.

Finally, and I'm sorry to ramble but that's just where my mind is today, I am freaked at the possibility of not being able to run with my iPod. Earphones are BANNED at this race, because it's an "official" race of some sort, and I knew this and have always known this, but have trained in denial and somehow think I will be able to sneak them in and run with them anyway. That's my plan, and I am keeping my fingers and toes crossed that it's not going to be enforced too strictly. There will be over 30,000 people there. Why would they care if a back of the packer has little tiny ear buds? I don't know what I'll do without Dave running with me.

This will probably be my last post until after the race. My bib number is 10969--how's that for a great number?

Oh! And guys, this is so cool. I'm probably going to get to run with Jennette Fulda, aka the Pasta Queen, aka the author of Half Assed (which I'll be reviewing on May 7th as part of her blog book tour). Jennette and I run almost the exact same pace, and we've exchanged cell phone numbers, and I'm hoping we can find each other in the field of human bodies that will be this race. Even if I don't see her at the race, I'm going to her book party Saturday afternoon. What a fabulous day it's going to be.