friday the 13th

why did friday the 13th get such a bad rap? yeah, i know the whole jason horror movie thing. but really, why does 13 have to be so bad and friday the 13th cursed? i'm not superstitious at all and i believe any day can be awful or amazing. case in point: february 24th 2003 changed my life forever. it was the day i first ever heard about retinitis pigmentosa and learned i was going blind. it was a monday and probably one of the worst days of my life. january 13th 2012 is another life changing day; i ran into some friends at a bar and met my boyfriend on, wait for it, FRIDAY THE 13th! he's been one of the best things to happen to me (i know, mush alert) and has been a really wonderful source of support. and now today i got some really fantastic news: TNT has found a pacer/guide for me! i already woke up pretty happy to have made it six month in a great relationship, but now i can stop worrying about how i'll manage the chicago marathon. 

as i mentioned in my previous post, i was having some major anxiety over the marathon. not the miles or course itself, but the race was completely daunting. but because TNT cares about all its participants and their needs (seriously, they really do care) i now have a TNT coach based in chicago who will run the WHOLE marathon with me. i will have someone to follow through the crowds (the coaches always wear really bright shirts for races, so very easy to spot) and to alert me about any bumps, trash, missing shoes etc on the road, as well as make sure i see upcoming aid stations to stay hydrated and fueled.

i've had a pretty good week of training, logged in almost 20 miles so far and feeling strong. i also feel much closer to achieving my goal of completing a marathon, which is a reat feeling. not stressing about how to deal with other runners is a huge relief and a total game changer.

so screw horseshoes and rabbit's foot keychains and shamrocks. i feel like the luckiest girl in the world right now.