A Runner's Cinderella Story

I have abandoned you, blog readers. (All I can think of right now is my husband's obnoxious voice saying "That's not what abandon means. According to __________ Law Dictionary, abandon means to leave without the intent of returning." He has started doing this lately. It is almost as endearing a behavior as a child who gains a vague understanding that America is a free country, and then insists "You are not the boss of me!" What a darling.)

I have abandoned you because I had my first regular work week and I'm exhausted. You would think that would worry me, since the kids don't even get to school until tomorrow, but I'm actually really excited. As much energy as teaching expends, the kids generate back. I'm so excited to begin the real work of teaching for the year.

I also have a lot of premature nervous energy about the marathon. Here is a little recap of my dream last night: For some reason, my husband was in a triathlon that was occurring at the same time as a marathon I was not participating in. I was cheering him on and running along the sidelines in the final stretch when someone handed me a number and told me to get in the race. I ran the last half-mile, and when I arrived at the finish line, the race officiators told me I should go over and take a picture for the paper with the other top-ten finishers. I was too afraid to explain that I was not a real participant but refused to take the picture. Then, I ran to hide in a building where the finishers were taking showers and I noticed a brand new pair of shoes in one of the stalls. No one was around so I took the shoes. It turns out that the pair of shoes belonged to one of the top women finishers and she started yelling that someone took her shoes. The next image I recall of myself, I was holding not one pair, but seven pairs of brand new shoes still in the boxes. She saw me, and asked me if I had her shoes. I mumbled something and she tried on every pair of shoes I was holding, but none of them fit. Much to my surprise, they all fit me, and she apologized for her mistake. Then Beasley jumped on my face.

I'm not big into dream analysis, but I do think this dream has something to say about the way I feel toward both shoes and running. To ease some of my insecurity of seeming like a poser-runner, I've decided that I need to sign up for a race before the Houston Marathon just in case I have another debilitating injury two weeks before the marathon. That way I'll at least have something to show for my training.

Here are the races I would like to enter:

1.) October 10- USA Space City 10 Miler

2.) October 24- Houston Warm Up Series Half-Marathon.

I don't intend to run these races full-out at all. Instead, it would just be a chance for me to actually take part in the running community in Houston while doing some training. Maybe I can find people who hate running here just as much as I do!