Nothing but the road and my thoughts.

     In preparation of my first "official" 10k this coming Saturday, I have strategically planned my long distance runs for the past 3 weeks. And when I say strategically planned, I mean I realized I only had 3 weeks left and just started cramming them into my running schedule.
     This weekend was my last chance to get in a practice run. All week I had it planned in my head to run the 6.2 miles on Saturday morning. I was motivated. I was ready. Nothing was going to get in my way. Nothing... Except for my bed. My big, comfy, pillow top mattress covered - king size bed.
     Everything was perfect. Everyone was asleep. It was cold outside. None of my neighbors were mowing their yards.. Neither of the kids had their feet in my face... My bed was my friend. My pillow was my lover... and the alarm, that evil alarm clock was my enemy..
     The alarm went off and I jumped up... to turn it off and got back in bed. Seriously. My head was hurting and the bed was so dang comfy! SUE ME! I laid there and convinced myself that I would sleep off the headache and then go for my run. Yeah, that didn't happen. Sleep was gone. The moment was gone. It was time to get up.
     I got up, glared at my husband and oldest child still alseep in bed.. how dare they sleep in!!.. and made myself a bowl of cereal. After breakfast I put on my warmest running clothes, rounded up my running gear and headed out the door.
     6.2 miles.   6.2 miles... My neighborhood route is 0.75 miles. That's 9 laps to get the full distance... 9... long... boring laps... 6.2 miles... "Screw it!" I thought. "I'm running to my parents house!" So I hit the road to my parents house across town!
     I turned on my GPS watch, slipped in my ear buds and headed to my destination! "What a great idea!" I thought. "They'll be shocked!" I thought. "Holy crap, I'm already hot!" I hadn't even made it off my street before I realized my jacket had to go. Mission detour.. back to the house. I turned the first corner, ran back to the house and shoved my jacket in the mailbox.. and off again I went.
     Now, I just recently started the whole "pit stop" thing. I keep a bottle of water on my mailbox and every 1.5 miles I run in front of the house, grab the bottle, take a swig while running in a circle, return the water and head back out for another 1.5 mile run. While getting ready for my long run Saturday, I grabbed a small bottle of water. 6 miles is a long way.. and I knew I would get thirsty. So I grabbed the smallest bottle I had in the cabinet and put some water in it. I didn't think it would be that big of a pain to carry this thing along the way.. but I was wrong. Very, very wrong.
     After returning my jacket to the mailbox and heading back down my road I was about a half mile into my run... about 5 feet later I was tired of carrying the bottle of water. I spent the next 5 minutes of my run trying to position it in my clothing in a way that didn't bother me. My pants, my shirt, my bra strap, my bra.. anywhere that appeared to be a tight squeeze that bottle would fit. NOTHING worked. It either fell, slipped, or sloshed in ways that made the run beyond uncomfortable. I took in the realization of my running destiny for the day.. and held the stupid bottle.
     Now, undistracted by the heat of my jacket or trying to find a new home for my water bottle, I got to thinking about my destination. My parents house. Ahhh, the look on their faces when I ring the doorbell. What will I say? "Hey dad! Got breakfast ready?" Nah.. "Good morning! Beautiful day, yeah?!" No.. "OH CRAP. How am I going to get home?" Yeah. Way to think ahead there, Fran... way to think ahead.
     By this time I was too far in to turn back. I was striving toward the goal and I was feeling beastly! And then I thought.. "What if a dog comes at me?!" "What if someone attacks me?!" "WHAT IF I FALL AND HURT MYSELF?" "WHY did I think it was a good idea to run across town?!" "I'm just a small person.. running all alone.. some freak-o could be stalking me RIGHT NOW!!" And that's when I started looking over my shoulder.. and going over ideas to ward off my attacker. I had my cell phone.. ear phones.. and my water bottle! YES! My ANNOYING WATER BOTTLE! I then spent the next mile trying to find the best way to hold it for the hardest hit on someone or somethings head.. Oh, the things we do to pass the time while running.. I really need better music on my ipod.
     After perfecting my bottle grip, I felt like I had been running all freakin' day. I swear I had been on the SAME, UPHILL road for 7 miles! I looked down at my GPS watch, whom I shall from here on out call Gilespie, hoping to see a number close to 10. Um, yeah. About that. Gilespie had clocked about 4 miles. ONLY 4 MILES. My stomach sank... I wasn't going to get my 6 miles in. I was going to run out of road. I was PO'D! This was the PERFECT plan, the PERFECT route and it wasn't long enough. CRAP IT! Wait.. when did I go from, "2 MILES LEFT?! I'M GONNA DIE!!!" to "WHAT THE DO!? I NEED MORE ROAD! I HAVE TO GET AT LEAST 2 MORE MILES!!"
     There it was. Another notch in my runners belt. I'm a runner. That was enough to get me through the rest of my run.. which ended up being EXACTLY 6.2 miles AND I shaved 2 minutes off my time. Victory.
     Hello, my name is Franny and I'm a runner. What was that? Of course I'll give you my autograph.  :)
    

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