My Journey Towards My Great Escape

Maybe I'm crazy, but maybe I'm not. I am now officially signed up for Sharkfest 2011. I plan to swim from Alcatraz to San Francisco. Last year I went to San Fran to watch my dad do it. It was amazing. Having visited Alcatraz and seeing the distance to swim, the sea lions in the water, and the people rushing out of the water after completing their swim it truly was inspiring. Standing on the shore the morning of the race at the finish line you can feel the sense of accomplishment. The best was trying to recognize my dad's arms as he swam the last 100 yards or so. There is something about the thrill of any kind of individual race or sporting event that just gets my heart pumping and my emotions on the surface. I LOVE IT! I watched swimmer after swimmer finish and thought to myself, I want to do this. I have 11 months to train and am feeling nervous already. I'm going to do it!

I've been in an exercise slump ever since I finished the half marathon last August 2009. Yes that's right 2009. I really haven't exercised since then, I haven't been able to. Since the knee had had enough there wasn't much I could do. Now almost a year later since my last big race, recovered from surgery, the knee's doing quite well. Now I've just needed some external motivation to get me going on the exercise wagon. I do so much better if I'm training for something. I need to feel that sense of accomplishment. I need that extra pat on the back that I can give myself after I've completed something hard like that. Finishing the marathon back in 2005 was an unforgettable experience, probably even more so since I was 6 weeks pregnant at the time I ran. I couldn't have finished without Kelly and Katie. That was HARD. Staring at their backs the final few miles, willing and forcing myself to put one foot in front of the next, so wanting to be running beside them, not behind them, but lacking the strength. I never considered quitting or even not finishing. But having those two in front knowing they were going to make it encouraged me and gave me hope. Good times! Good race!

Running the half marathon last year by myself was an interesting experience. I will admit I was quite upset and disappointed. I was supposed to run with a couple of my cousins, but they didn't train well enough to feel like they could do it and they pulled out. That left me running alone. Here I'd trained all year, fighting knee pain, flew across the country to run with them and there I was alone. I was glad to see them at the starting line to try some of it, but I knew deep down I was alone, and was fighting back tears and my disappointment. So I ran. I ran with a purpose almost to prove that I could do it, and do it alone. The race felt great, well, after the first 3 miles and the knee stopped hurting, it felt great while I ran. Though it was good to prove to myself that I could do it, it's so much more fun to be able to share the blood, sweat, and tears with someone else and share in the joy of the huge accomplishment. I wish they could have run it with me just because I love them so much!!! I just wanted to share that time together.

That's another reason I've signed up for Sharkfest. My dad's hooked now. He's going to swim it again next week and he's signed up for Sharkfest 2011. I know he'll be there. We'll do it together and then I can share in that accomplishment, in that moment of triumph with him. I can't wait until it's over! :)

So for now I'll be hitting the pool.