Get Ready, Get Set, RUN!

Hi, friends! Mrs. Albright here, your 'running' housewife. I thought I'd share about my training, thoughts, etc., about the upcoming OKC Memorial Run on Sunday. In case you missed how I got started running last year, you can catch up here. I literally went from being a non-runner who had never even ran a 5K to training for a half-marathon. What's that running sticker saying?! 13.1, Only Half Crazy?!? Yes, that's me.  Training last year started in August and the Rt.66 was in November. As painful as it was, I was pretty darn proud of myself for sticking it out and finishing. It's a big freaking deal to run long distance and even a bigger deal to go from not being a runner to running a half-marathon. You'll never hear me say, "Oh, it's nothing." Lots of sweat, pain and tears goes into preparing for a half or full marathon.  When I finished that last race I said I wasn't going to do another half. I felt like I accomplished what I set out to do and had no "need" to do it again. Seriously, I'm still not even sure I like running. What I know I do like is my running friends. I love being a part of that special group of people called runners. To put it more perfectly here is what a dear running friend shared on my Facebook status recently: 
"Dana Cullop Teubner You are now (as a runner) part of a community of people who are 
fierce. People who do crazy things--like run 13.1 miles for a t-shirt and a medal. People who
 come together with like minds and share their energy, cheer each other on, and know that 
they have it in themselves to surprise themselves. Enjoy this "back-off" week, and then get out 
there and run your race your way:-) Best of luck to you, Dawn!"

I truly have some of the best, supportive friends on Facebook. It's great to have runners supporting me, but it's just as great to have my non-running friends encouraging me as well. They even laughed and showed sympathy when I posted about getting stuck in a sports bra I was trying on at Fleet Feet in Tulsa! They are good like that. Ha!  This week is our back-off week. I ran my last small run this morning. I'm happy to have a couple of days off before the race. This week, like last year's back-off week, is an emotional one for me. I start getting anxious about the race. I question whether I'm ready or not. I'm not ever certain I am. I just remind myself that I can walk more than run, if needed. It's important to finish and not just finish with a new PR. Oh, and add the extra anxiety due to the Boston Marathon tragedy. The fact that OKC Memorial Run is in remembrance of the Oklahoma City Murrah Building bombing makes it even more profound.  We have a much smaller group of ladies running this particular race. Two are going to be running a half-marathon for the very first time. I'm beyond proud of them. I've put together this little collage of us in case you'd want to say a little prayer for us. Yes, I feel like I'll be running on a wing and a prayer! (Or lots of prayers in my case!) There are a few others running from our local YMCA that didn't train with us so please just remember all the runners this weekend in your prayers. 

If you are interested in running, I still highly recommend picking up Jeff Galloway's Running: Getting Started book. His method makes is very do-able. It is interval running and don't think it will make your times slower, it is just not true.  Here's to wishing all 24,000+ runners this weekend a wonderfully fun, smooth and non-existent injury run! There's truly nothing more exciting than being with runners before, during and after a race. The adrenaline is high and everyone is supportive. 
~Mrs. Albright (Dawn)  Running through the pain and facing down my anxieties, like...