The Aflac Iron Girl

It's 9:50pm the night before my first 5k race since my epic half-marathon last June. I'm not very nervous, though I should be. I failed to train very much at all this summer so my endurance has really gone down the pooper. I guess the Rock and Roll taught me something, however. If we aren't having fun while we are running these races, why the hell are we doing it?

I'm obviously not in the running to win the race (although my 6 and 3 year old girls may beg to differ), so why do I have any reason to worry? I am just going to wake up far too early, lace up my running shoes, run like hell, then strut around with my medal on. If you ask me, THIS is living the dream.

The only thing about tomorrow that makes me a little bit nervous is that none of my friends or family can make it to see me cross the finish. Well, one of my friends will be there, but she is running the 10k. Chances are I will be waiting around for a while to cheer her on while she crosses the finish line. I just hope the overwhelming sense of accomplishment will cancel out the feelings of being a race-finisher/bad ass that is hangin' solo. Oh wait! I just remembered I get a stuffed duck in my goody bag. Feelings of abandonment: dissolved.

For the record, I am doing the AFLAC Iron Girl around Green Lake. I know that a good portion of you running folk regularly train around Green Lake, and being a 'south-ender' I haven't had the opportunity to yet. I'll let you all know how it goes!