The day before

The day before my race. I am some what in shock, hard to believe I know, since I have spent the last 5 months preparing for this, but still I am.

Sort of a calm nervous feeling, the only thing I can liken it to, is the day before my son was born. I knew full well that this thing is happening, yet still I was surprised.
All day my phone rang and buzzed with Good Luck emails and texts. It is really emotional, all the support and love, over whelming at some level. I am starting to get excited but still not quite aware.

Evening rolls around and time for the pre-race dinner. Still feeling somewhat distant I walk to the hotel for the inspiration dinner. And then it hit me.. It really hit me...
I walked into the hotel and we can hear quite the commotion as we go up the escalator stairs, only to find all the TNT staff and race day volunteers all around as cheering. I walk through a double sided line of people cheering and I am overcome by all of the love, and support. All that was for me, others too, but they welcomed me that way.
Like I was somebody important. All I could do is cry, it was THE moment I realized that it was time. I was 13 hours away from doing the biggest thing I have ever done. They were there to celebrate with us, all of our accomplishments and the one we were about to embark on. It was an experience that words can not explain.

Dinner time arrives and few speakers. A mother who talks about her daughter Lilly and what it was like for her family, and teenager, Ashley who was diagnosed at 17 and told 6 months left to live. It is so so real. John “The penguin" Bingham was the main speaker, he was quite funny too. He talked about how he is a "slow" runner. 5 hour marathon times, but he said something I will never forget, and it makes much sense.

You spend all this time training, hours, if not days running... Why does everyone want to "hurry up" and finish? He says to enjoy it. All the "fun" people are in the back anyway. So this eases my mind about my time.

Quick meeting with my team, and I am off to get ready. Time to try to sleep.