Countdown

This was an exciting morning as I headed out to Marathon Village to pick up my official number for Sunday's race (I probably shouldn't call it a race so much as an event I'm participating in)! It was a fantastic feeling to march up the steps and hear people mingling in all different languages--while waiting, I met two people from Canada and two from Australia who flew in just to run. Crazy!

It was like living out my childhood dream of being an Olympic athlete and staying in Olympic Village (as a skater, runner, gymnast, whatever). Only, different. Instead of a specially built hide-a-way for athletes, they plopped the happenings in the lobby of a convention center that you could attend from 10 am to 8 pm. Instead of donning USA gear, I was gifted with a special running shirt from my mom. Instead of being asked to represent my country, I had to pay 50 euro. . .I think you get the idea.

But in any case, it was a special day that I have been looking forward to a long time. And just as the make-shift village lifted my spirits and substituted for official grandeur, the sloppy, sweaty, mess I will be in on Sunday will substitute for the strong, powerful Victory I had envisioned for the finish of the race.

It makes no difference.

This whole process has been fantastic. I'll let you know how it goes.