It's race week....OMG, OMG, OMG

Thank you to AJ for helping me with this week's post title.

I am in a bit of shock. It's Around the Bay race week. Crazy to think next Sunday is the oldest race in North America - a 30km race inlcuding 10km of hills - and I am going to be running this. Never, ever, ever did I think I would be doing it. However now that I am doing this thing called "tapering" all is sinking in - it is almost race time.

I am certainly having doubts about running the race. But one thing I have learned over the past year is to trust your training. I have been very consistent with long runs in the last 6 weeks of 20km, 22km, 22km, 25km, 21km, and 25km. With the exception of the 21km Half Marathon all of the long runs have been on the course allowing me to experience the hills. I have been pretty good during the week with at least 3 other runs including my 12km Tuesday run. I have done pretty much everything I can - and my body is telling me that. If I am to continue on I need to work on my diet and cross training for sure. I also know once I finish this thing I need to take a break. Well, not much of a break as I have signed up for the Good Friday races with both Emma & Kloe running the bunny run! This is why I love to run - getting to share it with the kids is such an amazing experience. I know of 6 other kids running this race - it is a great family run.

One of the fun things I have used during the last year of running is listening to music. I am a music runner, although I do enjoy the occasional run without music just to listen to yourself breath and to listen to your foot steps. I realized during the Chilly Half just how diverse my playlist it - artists including Motley Crue, Van Halen, Triumph, Styx, The Killers, Dr. Dre, Eminem, Charlie Daniels, Blue Rodeo, Foo Fighters, Biggie Smalls, heck I even have a Bieber song on it (Emma put in on and I have never taken it off). It is a weird and diverse playlist but it works for me.

It has been quite a ride this last year. To set a pretty big goal and be almost there is exciting, nervous, and a whole bunch of other emotions. It's going to be tough to get in the last runs this week without constantly

thinking about this race. It's almost here - and I can't wait.