August 20, 2011 – Musings of The Edmonton Tourist

Here I sit the day before the first major athletic goal I have ever set. I am about to accomplish it. After walking 20km several weeks ago, this doesn’t seem like such a big deal any more. Except 1 – I have to get up early and 2 – it’s going to be hot tomorrow.

Getting up early is a difficult task. For those of you who just spring out of bed when your alarm goes off, you have no idea what I am talking about. there is a fog that lives in my head until at least noon. I am not the chattiest people in the morning, nor do I enjoy food in the morning. I have been known to need copious amounts of coffee. I need to be at the start line about 7:30 AM. AM as in the MORNING! I know from training, I shouldn’t drink coffee. It makes me feel crappy while I am walking. I also know I need to eat about an hour before. Awesome. So I am packing an egg sandwich. First of GROSS, it will be cold, and secondly gross I have to eat it around 6:30. I am pretty excited about that! I am able to put these small annoyances aside so I may reach my goal. This isn’t a problem.

Hot will be a problem.

I am carrying 2 bottles of gator aide with me. I will drink water along the course route. I have trained mostly in torrential down pours and driving rain. So of course it will be hot tomorrow. I have my coolmax hat and will hydrate well before had, as well as today. I am drinking a ton of water today, all of this will help. I have my ipod shuffle charged and ready for action. I am using my iphone to take pics along the way. Strange, I know, but I want to live this moment and remember it. This is important to me.

Yesterday I went to the Expo Centre to pick up my race day package. I felt like part of the club. The exclusive club where only people with that crazy inner drive get to be apart of. It was a strange and new experience for me. Last year I could care less about being in the Canadian Derby Marathon. I didn’t get why people even wanted to do it. I get it now. I want to do this for lots of reasons.

I worked hard this year and I want a medal for it – an award, some recognition and I will get one if I cross the finish line.
Setting goals has helped me find focus and drive to move forward in my life. achieving goals has been more rewarding than I could ever fully understand. I expect I will be emotional as I cross the finish line.
Walking has been a big part of my fitness plan. It’s working and has made me strong. It also makes me crave more. I like that feeling.
I have had so much love and support come my way as I move towards this goal. People, friends, family and strangers have been more supportive than I ever hoped. By finishing, it shows them how thankful I am for their support and how much I appreciate it.
I am looking forward to the big party afterwards. One of my goal setting mentors encouraged me to celebrate after the event. So I am. I am thankful the weather will be nice for it and curious to see who all comes for food and fun.

Time to set the next big athletic goal. I am going to run 5km without stopping. I have lost enough weight that my Doc is cool with it. The big concern is my knee injury. I have been looking after it, so starting next week, training begins. In someways 5k feels WAY easier than 21k. But walking is WAY easier than running. I know I can do it. It is the next step on my way to running the half marathon next year or the year after depending on the knee.

I look at today as the very last day as old me. Tomorrow at this time I will be apart of a group that does half marathons. The future’s so bright, I gotta wear shades.