onepinkfuzzy

A recent call for entries for an essay contest lit my writing fire. As I've already discussed at length, I love to write. My (ambitious/lofty/unattainable?) goal is to someday make a living by writing. I also want to write a memoir (although I fear it's been done to death).

I've spent the last month writing and rewriting (and rewriting again) my essay for the contest, and today I realized it's final. I'm ready to send it in. It's scary and exciting. I don't actually think I'll win the contest; winning isn't really the point. The important part is that I did it - I sat down and wrote. And now I'll submit it. It's the first steps towards fulfilling my goal! I'm grateful to have found an incredible editor in C, and my very own Miss Grammar Girl in Kiera.

I haven't run since that 8-miler in the heat last Thursday. I've been sick with a nasty cold/cough, and I've been taking it easy. Ash and I lounged around this weekend, enjoying time at home and the library. I'm feeling (yet another) shift in my attitude toward my running, my life, my time, my weight, my priorities. I'm not stressing about the running. If I don't get in enough shape in time for the 50k in July, so be it. I'll view it as a long run - if I make the whole thing, great. If I DNF after 15/20/25 miles, then I DNF. At least I get to see Olga, meet Sarah and Hippo and whoever else might be out there. I'll enjoy my stay in OR, even if I don't finish the race. I'm not too concerned at this point in time, knowing my life has changed - somewhat dramatically in certain areas - since I first chose to register for it. I don't want to stress out thinking that because life got in the way one weekend - I got sick - I missed a crucial long run, throwing my training and mileage-building off. Right now, my longest run to date has been a whopping 11.6 miles and my greatest miles in one week was 27 miles two weeks ago. With the limitations I have - only being able to run a long run every other weekend and only being able to run three weekday mornings - I don't really see how it's possible to safely build up to a 20+ mile long run/30+ miles per week before July 28th!

The marathon in September still holds pull on me - I want to run that with Kiera, and I believe I still have plenty of time to get in the necessary long runs for training before Sept. 22.

After the marathon, I think I will focus on running as more of a fitness thing as opposed to a hobby. Something I do to keep the muscles in my legs strong (damn I love seeing those!), to keep my weight managable, to stay healthy. I like the idea of trying a half-marathon or two (I still haven't tried that distance), and possibly working on my speed. I'd also like to expand my fitness activities. Soccer is something that has been intriguing me, and I'd love to get back into tennis. I've found myself missing rock climbing lately. I'll never give up running. And I'm pretty sure that ultrarunning in still in my future - a few years down the road, perhaps...

Oh, I have a 5k on Saturday that I'm looking foward to - the course winds through downtown Tucson, and each entrant gets two tickets to Chariots of Fire (which I've never seen) in the Fox Theatre afterwards. C says he's not so sure he wants to watch a movie with a bunch of sweaty runners...I hope we all don't smell up the theatre too much :) Should be a blast!