It's Official!

At a point this past January (February?) I realized that there are a number of choices I have made in the past several years that made me sad and unhappy.

I didn't feel well physically, and I chose to cut back on participating in things.

I vowed to change.

The first step in making this change was to commit to walk in the Bay To Breakers race this spring. OMG, I need to get up and get to downtown San Francisco before 8 am!! On a Sunday!!

Today it is OFFICIAL!! I just received my participant's packet in the mail.

'This is my bib. Look closely, as it will not make it on any of the news broadcasts of the race. They concentrate on the speeding fast runners in front of me and the costumed partiers who will be behind me.

I'll be in the middle doing something just for me.

This is a 12K race (about 7.5 miles) with one small hill at the 2.5 mile mark. Everyone talks about this hill, but it's only 2 15 feet tall with a 11.2% incline.

Yeah, it sucks. But I walk a higher hill with the similar incline whenever I walk from the bottom of the hill I live on up to our house. This hill will be challenging but easy-peasy.

The rest of the walk is flat or downhill.

This is my timing chip. I'll tie this to my shoes and when I step over the start line it will come to life (it's alive!!). Then when I cross over the finish line it will stop and give them my official walking time. No guessing for the gal in the crowd!

I'm aiming at finishing the race in about 2:15. I usually do a 3.0-3.5 pace, so this is reasonable.

I'll be taking BART over and back, so will be spending time with their timetable to make sure that I dont' screw this up. I don't wish to get there too too early (it will be chilly) and definately not too late.

And if you see that little yellow MUNI sticker, it lets me ride the MUNI bus back to BART without carrying lots of money to worry about the bus.

I am so glad I have the cellphone I do. Because I have a nice 1 GB smartcard in it, I can carry a whole lot of music to listen to while I walk. The fabulous Grace has agreed to supply me with my music mix. Anything will be game as long it's not too country or opera.

Also, I am inviting any friends who would like to to call after the time I should finish and check on my time (or congratulate me). If you'd like to be part of this pack, let me know and I'll send you the number and approximate time to call.

What's next? I'm not sure. I do know that I'm hoping to hike the Grand Canyon in the spring of 2009, The Indians return to Arizona for spring training that year, so I can get a double hit of goodness in one trip.