I Can Go the Distance

Today, practice consisted of a tour of the race course via motorcycle before hitting the track for a quick run. My impression of it? SCARY!
I've never been so intimidated by a race before. This thing is just ridiculous. It starts with an uphill. A long, steady hill that lasts a couple of miles. A couple of miles! You know how there were always hills in our cross country races, but you could see the top and aim for it so you just stride and ignore the pain in your legs? Well, I don't know if that strategy works when the hill is all you see for the first 15 minutes of the race. It's gonna be torture... especially since I've got such weak legs (not to mentioned my injury). The respite, though, comes after that. If I can just survive the first couple of miles of the race, then it's all good after that. it's pretty much flat or downhill the rest of the time. Now, if I can just block out how long the race is while I'm running it-- because OHMYGOODNESS it's looong. The guy that was assigned as my 'guide' kept saying and then we turn here, and then just glide this whole way because you're almost there. But then you go here, and turn here. And, you're almost finished.... after you go through here and then here and then... and I'm like DUDE! When do we finish?!!? Anyways. It's a half-marathon, I knew this when I signed up for it. And, well, I signed up for it. No backing out now.
And wow, I have a LOT of naysayers on this one. When I tell people at work I'm running the Sao Silvestre race, most of them just chuckle and shake their heads and say 'You're gonna quit, you're not gonna make it'. Umm, excuse me, I may seem all meek and mild (well, not even, but whatever) but I'm stubborn as all get out. I will finish the race even if it means throwing one leg in front of the other by using both hands. Me? Quit? NEVER! Today my uncle saw me icing my shin (Oh man, it's really getting painful to run on it these days... can't wait to finish that race so I can take a good long breather and recover!) he laughed and said. I'm gonna be waiting with an ambulance at the top of the hill. You're not gonna make it on that leg. I was like, I JUST finished running 8K. I'm still alive. I think I'll be alright.
Anyways... anticipation is definitely building. If I perform well in that race, it'll be such a fun way to leave 2009 behind. Talk about going out with a bang!