Shamrock Shuffle and TNT!!

Finally we can see the Start of the race!

Last Sunday I ran the Shamrock Shuffle 8k with my friend Lindsey. I loved the runner's high at the end, but the race day was 80 degrees, about 40 degrees warmer than the last time I ran outside. Afterwards we drank a beer with some other friends outside and I got sunburnt. Overall, it was a lot of fun, even if I was probably so very not physically prepared and my time was embarrassing. Oh well, can only improve from here.

I recommend everyone who lives in Chicago try the Shamrock Shuffle at least once. It goes right through the city streets, and there are tons of people who cheer you on. It is a HUGE race, we didn't actually start running until about 9:20, and the race started at 9:00. I think there were 49,000 runners. Also, I saw one guy shuffle the entire race, I kid you not.

I raised about 500 dollars for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society, so that was nice. My coworkers were very generous. I also made a deal with one of my friends that I'd send him a framed photo that I took and he would send me a check for 100 bucks. I'll do anything to fundraise! This weekend I need to get my Thank You cards done, and I plan on finishing my leukemia cell paintings next weekend and shipping those out a week later.

Today I took a hip hop dance class, it was fantastic. I got the first part down pretty well, we did a routine to this song:


And I think I joined a soccer league today. I just got back from buying shin guards with Joelle. And soccer socks. I have always wanted to play soccer, but loved high jump too much, and track was the same season as soccer, so I always had to choose. I'm excited to play on a team, our first game is tomorrow.

One more thing, have you ever dreaded something your whole life and then it happened, and you realized that you are actually more resilient than you ever imagined, and instead of collapsing and suffering, you grow and learn in quantum leaps? Yeah. Well, that just happened to me. Despite everything I thought I knew about myself, I grossly underestimated my strength and, instead of falling to pieces after ending a relationship, I only feel stronger.

Resilience.

I want to remember this lesson, and next time remember my strength, and not let my fear get in the way of communicating. Haven't we all learned this lesson, over and over?

There is no terror in the bang, only in the anticipation of it.
Alfred Hitchcock