Pre Race

A recap of the pre race events:

My parents and I drove to Indy. We were staying at different hotels. So, we both got checked in and made the short walk to the expo center to pick up my race packet. We came back and got ready and headed to the TNT Pasta dinner.

At the dinner we got to eat lots of yummy foods. The desserts were the best. Only I didn't have much. I didn't want too much sugar upsetting my stomach before the race.

At the dinner we were told that our team earned over $515,000.00 for the LLS. WOW! Amazing. Thanks again to everyone who helped make that possible.

Then someone got up to speak about his son that lost his battle against Leukemia, and the room was reduced to tears. It was very moving listening to the speech.

Dinner finished up, and I got 2 tee shirts from TNT for completing my fundraising.

We went back up stairs and my parents said goodbye and left to go back to their hotel.

And I was left alone. Not just alone, But ALONE.

I was scared. I wanted to cry. I wanted someone to tell me it was going to be ok. To remind me that I could do this. But there was no one there to do it.

So, I turned on the TV to keep me company (which I NEVER do!), and proceeded to get my race day items organized.

I decided what I was going to wear. I pinned on my race number. I attached my chip to my shoe.

And it was only 9:00. I knew if I went to bed that early I'd never fall asleep. Or I'd fall asleep, only to be wide awake up in a few hours.

So, I reread some of the race material. Then I got out all of the cards and letters of encouragement that people had sent to me over the past 4 months, and re-read all of them.

Finally 10:00 rolled around and I decided to get ready for bed. While I was getting ready, my cell phone must have rang because there was a missed call and a message.

It was my boyfriend and his sister calling to wish me luck. That made me feel a little bit better. It helped hearing my boyfriend's voice. Knowing he was thinking about me.

I set my alarm on my cell phone to go off at 4:30, and again at 4:40. Then I set my watch to go off at 4:45. But I wasn't paranoid or anything.

I slept unbelievably well. Never waking up until the alarm went off.

I drug myself to the shower, and proceeded to get ready.

I was walking by the door of my room and happened to glance down and see something had been slid under my door.

So, I grabbed it and sat down on the bed to open it. Inside it was full of letters of encouragement from all of my friends and family. I didn't have enough time to read all of them so I skimmed them. And quickly decided I better save them for later or I was going to be reduced to a blubbering pile of tears in no time.

I finished a few last minute details of getting ready and headed off to breakfast. Then meet my teammates in the lobby to head over to the starting line.

We left the hotel and it was FREEZING. And we still had an hour until the race started. I started debating if I was going to die of hypothermia before the race started.

I turned my Garmin on as we started walking. Hoping it would find a signal. I thought I was going to cry when 30 minutes later it still hadn't gotten one. I needed to be able to watch my pace, and know the distance. I was counting on it. It was my security blanket. I was going to die without it.

Finally, it acquired it's signal. Oh, thank you!

We all got into our respective corrals, to wait for the start. People started filling in the corrals and it was amazing to see that many people.

In a moment of clarity, I realized that I actually forgot to put on deodorant this morning.

In a second moment of clarity, I realized it didn't matter. I was going to be dripping sweat and reeking by the end of mile 3 any way.

So, from then on out we stood around, and we waited. And we waited. And waited.......