Pregame Jitters - Fun Run

Who knew fitness could be so... Machiavellian?! That's what all the giggling was about, huh?

I'm writing this from my past into my future and what will be your present! It's quite simple really, I just fire a high energy stream of virtual particles into a hyperspatial matrix allowing the Casimir Effect to create a sufficient amount of quantum foam to curve spacetime significantly enough... for a squirt transmission... into the resultant wormhole...

Look, blogging is complex!!!

I'm sorry, I'm nervous. Call it pregame jitters and give me a pass 'k?

Yesterday an email went out informing the vast collective that the Fun Run time had been changed from the traditional 12:45pm to an 11:45am departure. I was both relieved and disappointed. Relieved because of my twitchy knee and disappointed because I had actually made space in my schedule for it. I was apprehensively 'in.'

I had a meeting I could not break so I replied back, sorry maybe next week. Figuring that the week might give my knee time to get back in order.

Then I got angry. I am so tired of being 'apprehensive' and what if the darned knee isn't any better? Huh? Surgery? Docs - the leeches??!! I do probably need to be careful with the knee and have been thinking of some sort of support brace but... I don't know.

My trainer, who's subtlety approaches the sublime has been (I suspect) guiding me down a path towards increased athletic confidence. With her 'try at least two' comments and emails of support, her backstabbing 'sure do the fun run' and 'why don't you go for 144bpm' on a tempo workout.

My wife has been just as encouraging if less subtle about it. A cherished moment was way back in this blog when my muscles were bathing in lactic acid and I was whining about going into the gym and she just laughed. Just laughed with such humor that I laughed too ... and went in. She's also shown her appreciation for my efforts in um other ways...

And then those of you who choose to read this blog.

It all helps! Who knew I'd enjoy babbling about it all? How wondrous it would be.

So, I'm trying to be a little less cautious, a little less worried about failing or getting hurt or whatever and in doing so I'm learning all sorts of interesting ways of being in pain, of finding what I can do, of being more alert and having a better attitude. Then there's you crazy fools :-)

Anyway, forces not to be trifled with were stirring while I was in some meeting. The super secret Friday Fun Run CABAL was convening and by the time I returned to my desk it was all arranged. The Fun Run would commence at 12:30pm. I accepted... my fate.

So bags packed, lots of Aleve on hand, I'm good.

This morning I annoyed my wife to no end, she's use to me being gone by this time of the morning. I finally get the message and leave, sheesh! I'm obsessing she says... what's her point?! I have my little gym bag all packed but I don't know what to wear - do I need a sweatshirt cuz I don't have one - a warm up jacket is packed, blah blah blah.

I also brought a Flip - I figure that and the Garmin should act as a 'black box' and tell investigators exactly what happened. Plus I plan to make a video - if it ever sees the light of day is a big TBD.

I drop by Starbucks and get a monster latte knowing excess caffeine will calm my nerves. Then I drop by the gym (lol) and check in since this had better count and I doubt the ambulance crew will let me clock in (as my trainer puts it) on the way to the ER. It's a full house! AllyMcBeal is on the treadmill, awesomeGirl is doing something that looks like splits with dumbbells on the floor, IronMan is kowtowing to some device - strengthening his neck, FNG is curling big ol' weights, goodMood might have just come off the stair climber, 'needs a name' is sitting on a stability ball and AT Everest is stretching.

I grin, these are my kind of people and I'm beginning to feel like I fit in. awesomeGirl lightheartedly calls out, "Are you dogging it?" I reply that I've been roped into the Fun Run and thought I'd just drop by, sip my coffee and watch you fools work. This gets a chuckle and the news of my impending Fun Run brings a lot of rueful smiles. I don't care - that bullet has long since left the chamber, all that's left is the knowing.

goodMood tells me I should have brought in a big breakfast to munch while all this activity is going on. I wish I had thought of it. I leave them to it, a smile on my face.

As I'm heading to the car my Trainer pulls in. I call out to her across the parking lot hoping for some last minute advice on my knee. She tells me to ice it afterward and take some Advil or ibuprofen as an anti-inflammatory. "Will Aleve cut it?" Apparently not.

All is ready - Bring It!