Four. Days. WOW.

I just looked at my countdown clock and realized I am going to be running a 5k in 4 days.
What was I thinking when I signed up for this???
I was also looking at the Race Web Page, and realized that it's actually called The Kaiser Permanente San Francisco Half Marathon and 5k Fun Run.

5k FUN Run? Who ever decided that a 5k was anything about fun? I can think of a lot of things that are more fun than running a 5k. Sleeping, new episodes of Grey's Anatomy, or eating a nice piece of cake. None of these involve running, which, in my opinion, is the opposite of fun.

I've gotten to know Cameron Park Lake pretty well over the last couple of weeks. Yesterday I actually attempted 2.5 miles (attempted being the key word), which meant I went around the lake twice. I don't know why, but there was an absurd amount of geese out yesterday. I mean, they're always there, but yesterday there were literally gaggles of them, so to speak. I was bopping along, trying not to succumb to the pain in my......well, whole body, and I saw one of the aforementioned gaggles on the trail ahead. Usually they just kind of waddle off to the side of the trail when you run by, but not these guys. They were feisty. One decided to chase another one just as I was approaching, and they both took to the air......right towards my head. I ducked (hahaha) and threw my hands up in the air to shield the oncoming kamikaze geese. When I finally looked, they were peacefully on the ground beside me pecking at bugs. And fellow trail runners were looking at me like I was nuts. It was great.

Stories like these are what I am going to miss most about training. I won't miss the running at all, but I'll miss the geese and the fellow runners (even the 80-something year old man who kept pace with me yesterday and the 10 year old boy who lapped me the day before).

I'm considering keeping with the training schedule around the lake, but with power walking instead. Damn I am a good power-walker! I power-walked the entire second mile yesterday and it was great! I almost puked when I was done but I felt good, man. Really.

Today, every ounce of my body is in pain. I'm glad I have a desk job because if I had a crazy job that involved, like, moving, I'd be in trouble. I have muscles that I never knew about, and they're all screaming at me at the same time.

So today I'm taking the day off to rest. Mostly because I'm pretty sure if I actually drove to the lake and got out of the car, my body would collapse in protest just LOOKING at the trail.
So tomorrow I power-walk 3.6 miles. I'm not going to attempt running it, just getting through it to see how it feels. It will probably feel horrible. Then the next 2 days I'll add some jogging, and hope for the best after that. I'm leaving for San Francisco on Saturday at 3 to eat some amazing pasta with some amazing PETA people, spending the night with my lovely Justine and her amazing family, and then running the not-so-amazing race on Sunday morning.

To be honest, I'm scared to death! I've never done anything like this before, and I know I can get through it. I just worry that by the time I finish it will be dark and the food will be gone......

Wish me luck in all my spandex glory on Sunday!