Commencing countdown....

In about 7.5 hours, my alarm will go off. I will probably hit snooze, then convince myself to roll out of the bed. It will be 4:30 a.m., a time that I won't believe exists until my alarm proves it. I will proceed to dress and prepare to run more than I ever have in my life.

I know I'm ready. I have put in the hours training, spending entire Saturdays running and then recovering. I have researched the race route and have compiled the perfect running playlist for my ipod shuffle. I have my banana and bagel ready right next to my 5 Hour Energy. And I have officially perfected the art that is carb-loading.

I, along with 32,000 crazy others, will run through Nashville racing towards many different goals. Some are running to fight cancer. Some are running to fight fat. Some are just crazy. I am running for myself.

For me, this whole experience has been me testing myself. Can you really do this Kathryn? (I think so...) You know you can just quit! (That sounds so tempting) Why don't you just do this next year? (Well, I guess I could?)

So far, I have passed every test. I have learned that I am stronger than I ever thought I was. I have learned that I can accomplish a goal that I set for myself. I have learned that I can choose to be the master of myself.

Tomorrow is the final test. There might be some obstacles thrown in (rain, lightning, tornadoes, etc.), but I am confident I will pass this one as well.

I put this quote on my cubicle wall this week and have read it multiple times every day:

"Now if you are going to win any battle you have to do one thing. You have to make the mind run the body. Never let the body tell the mind what to do. The body will always give up. It is always tired morning, noon, and night. But the body is never tired if the mind is not tired. When you were younger the mind could make you dance all night, and the body was never tired...You've always got to make the mind take over and keep going."
- George S. Patton, U.S. Army General and 1912 Olympian

I have been known to dance all night...so really, this is probably going to be a piece of cake.

Come on 13.1 miles....let's dance:)