Maybe it's 'cuz I'm a Vegetarian...

... the universe thinks there's not enough iron(y) in my diet. Maybe.

I was all set to kick off my 2011 race season (New Year's Resolution to run 6 races this year... I have run ZERO so far. EEK!) on Sunday. I picked the Great Bay Half Marathon specifically for a couple of reasons.

1. It's a 1/2 marathon. This is a great distance, in my humble opinion, because it requires real effort in training but no insane weekend runs that basically preclude you from being human for the next 24 hours.
2. I can't run the 1/2 I PR'd (1:45... woot!) in last year (The Big Lake Half Marathon) because I have made a commitment to attend a "School for Vestries".... My nod to God over running, I hope, will be remembered by the judges when I kick off.
3. It's on a rare Spring weekend day when Scott Giessler is not otherwise committed to Kingswood Theater or The Village Players or William Lawrence Camp or The Jedi Council... Well, one of those is a joke. But, my man is working on The Perfect Year and in so doing is Perfectly Busy.
4. There's an accompanying 5K that some friends are going to be doing.... So I'd have people to hang with before, people to cheer me at the finish, and people to celebrate (or commiserate) with afterward. And of course....
   
5. There is beer available at the finish!

So, what's so ironic, you wonder? Well, The Freakin' Fools Blizzard (I named it this) is trotting into town tonight and tomorrow (April 1st...). This has resulted in a change of schedule for the State Drama Festival. It was scheduled from Friday to Saturday but now... my conning plan to have Scott watch the kids all day Sunday so I can be a real muthah runnah has fallen short. Instead, he will be in Gilford with his students hoping that everyone there loves Dispatches from Candor. As well they should.

Honestly, everything hinged on this one aspect of the race. There's nothing worse than going to a race and worrying about what your kids are doing. If they're happy or miserable. If they're being naughty or angelic.... Especially since they won' t be with my husband. Add to that the stress of not only making sure I have my own race stuff together but amusements and food and drink and warm clothes and Lord knows what else for them. Remember, The Giessler won't even be home AT ALL on Saturday (it's an overnight event) so I have to get the ducks in a row solo, too.

I have recruited a friend's daughter to come with us and watch them. And the Muthah Runnahs who are doing the 5K have promised to swoop in when they are finished running and recovering.... But aaarrrrgh! What a headache.

My gut is telling me that even though I am inspired on almost every run by Polly and her courage and struggles to the end... something in the universe of this play does NOT want me to run. I am missing out on Boston for the play. Now I am struggling with whether or not to go to this race because of this play. What's up with that!?

I got some sage advice from Sarah Bowen Shea after I sent her a whiney email about my troubles. She said, basically, "oh just do it!" I won't be able to hear my kids whine. They will survive. They will find things to amuse themselves. And once I'm out there, I will be SO happy I did it.

All true.

She's so smart.

But between now and then, I plan to worry. Because it's ever-so-helpful!