It's Practically Here...

Well, the day is practically here! I am packing my bag, as I am being picked up at 11:30 this morning to check in to our hotel and be gone for the weekend. Today, I pick up my bib number and reality will certainly hit. All those months of training are now down to this moment on Sunday. Where did the time go? I remember just getting my registration confirmation ticket!

I really hope this fortune comes true! Glory is exactly what I will have when I cross that finish line. It's been many runs of worry and fighting bouts of nerves and the like. I still cannot believe that this is the last blog post I will put up until next week, when it's all over!

THIS is what I tell myself when my legs begin to go numb and I don't even know what is going on around me. At least I had the guts to try, to sign up and to get to the starting line. I won't be in the lead, heck I won't even be NEAR the front, but I am there and I am trying and I am having this moment that I will remember for the rest of my life.

THIS is something that I have to keep telling myself over and over again! When I reach mile 12, I start to get negative and tell myself that I'm not even half way there yet. It really is a MIND game and I must get out of my head and just GO!

OH YEAH! I've come too far to just give up, believe me, when I first started on those initial long runs of 5,6,8 miles, I used to think, WHY?! WHY?! Just QUIT, Just GIVE UP, who will really care? You know who will care the most? ME! I know sitting on the couch, before I had even signed up, I thought yeah right, no thank you. THEN once I started training seriously, I realized giving up is the EASY way out. I'm not about to take the easy way out when I have something to prove to myself and to my head and something to show my children! It's not easy getting to this point, it sure as heck isn't any fun, but you know what? I don't regret a single moment.

Ummm.....yeah...Please keep my mother and I in your prayers on Sunday!

  On Sunday, we will OWN Chicago!

Marathon Update!

I know my posts are quite sporadic right now and unfortunately they will continue like that right now! Why? The marathon is in LESS THAN 2 WEEKS?! Where on earth did the time go? I cannot believe how quickly that this has all flown. I'm still incredibly nervous, but you know what? I'm ready!

I would like to take a minute to THANK YOU for helping me raise over 300.00 last week! This is an AWESOME charity and as much as I say it, even just 1.00 is enough to help!! Thank you much for your thoughts and prayers too, it's been a true Blessing having friends like all of you out there! Though we may not know each other in person, I still consider you all my friends. Your thoughts and prayers helped me shave 45 seconds off of my mile on our long run this weekend! We are still short 700.00 from our goal, please HELP HERE!

Even though all I want to do after my long runs is sleep, we headed out to tour museums, pick pumpkins and even feed giraffes!!! It's been an amazing weekend readers and I truly can't wait for my life to get back to normal, so that I can share more fun photos!!

Have You Added Me Yet?

Twitter: @MichellesCharmW

Facebook: MichellesCharmWorld

To Donate to Ronald McDonald House Charities: HERE!

Saturday Speak!

Hello friends, I am so sorry that my post has come so late today, but it has been one crazy and tiring day. I woke up at 445am in order to get 15 miles in before the sun became too powerful. Let me tell you, I was EXHAUSTED and just wanted to roll back over when that alarm went off. It's so easy to pull that blanket over my head and snuggle up next to my husband and just pretend nothing happened, but I knew I would feel like a failure if I didn't do it. I laced up and took off and I had an awful run. I felt all out of sort, I fell and at the end, I cried. I even asked myself: 'why am I doing this?' I was ready to quit and just say, oh well, I tried. I'm scared, I am terrified, I am afraid! My fear is of being laughed at, ridiculed, I mean come on, what am I doing out there?! All these professional runners and I'm struggling at 15. What if I crack on Marathon Day. Ladies and gents, this was a BAD day for me.

I got home and must have spent 20 minutes in the shower, I just wanted to cry myself back to bed, but we were in a rush to get school uniforms, supplies and the like, because I had to drop the kids off and we were volunteering at BINGO tonight. As I rested my forehead in defeat and the water streamed over my body, this quote above entered my mind. THAT was exactly what I needed. So what if I'm not going to be the most fit one out there or even close to it, at least I am out there, at least I am trying. It's more than many can say and I shouldn't beat myself up about it. Tomorrow is supposed to be a rest day, but my Dad saw how bummed I was today when I dropped the kids off, that he took me to Dick's and bought me a cute new running outfit. Now, I think I will do a slight 3 miles in the morning and remind myself, that even if I am walking, I am still taking a monumental step.

Then as I collected my mail, I noticed that I had a package! My team running shirt came in! WOW, it's so official now and I was triggered with fear for a moment, but alas, I relaxed and just told myself as long as I have faith in myself, I can accomplish anything. I am trying and that's all that matters...

When I came across this today, I have decided to adopt this as my motto. I LOVE it and I know it will help get me through those runs where I am crying the last miles and cursing myself for even getting into something like this. 

"There will be days I don't know if I can do a marathon. There will be a lifetime knowing that I have."

Friends, I would love to thank you so much for your advice, words of encouragement and praise. I love that you all take a minute out of your day to read my posts and even comment. Little words like that go a long way, when I hit that trail and thoughts of quitting cross my mind. I have 17 miles to run on Saturday! YIKES!

My Newest Adventure!

At the age of 31, I have set so many goals, that I think I possibly have a World Record right there. How many have I actually met? Not a lot. This is time for a change and I'm turning over a new leaf and ready to get into the best shape of my life, while helping others in the process!  One of my goals for this year is to run a race of some sort. I was thinking somewhere along the lines of a 5K, but my mother had a different idea all together and before I knew it, she was talking Chicago Marathon! That's 26.2 MILES?! 

Well as of today, it's official and I have received all of my confirmations that I am in fact going to be running the Chicago Marathon on October 9th of this year! I hope you will follow me on this wonderous adventure as I post the highs and lows of my training and maybe if you are in the area, you can grab some grass and cheer me on! If you are too far, would you consider helping me towards my $2000.00 goal? I'm ready to take on this challenge and I have now set 2 goals; to raise 2000.00 and then to run the marathon! Help me by CLICKING HERE !

Update 1 HERE!
Update 2 HERE!

Less than a month away and I am terrified that I am not ready, but I promise to give it my all. I just want to finish, I don't care about time, I care that I try and that I complete what I started.

PLEASE LIKE!

Hi there, please like his page:

http://www.facebook.com/McRunner26

If he gets 40,000 fans, he will get 10,000.00 for Ronald McDonald's House Charities!