55 days!!??!!

My very first half marathon is in 55 days!!??!!  I am not sure what possessed me to actually count the days before the race, but I did.  Every time that I think of Saturday, May 14, I have so many emotions - I am excited, scared, proud, etc.  The next 55 days cannot come fast enough and cannot be far enough away at the same time. 

Yesterday, Sarah and I volunteered for the Tobacco Road Marathon.  Sarah's cousin, Brandy, was running this race as her first half and we thought it would be a great experience for us and a bonus if we got to see her.  After waking up at the ungodly hour of 4:45 a.m., we made our way to Cary/Apex to be at our station by 6 a.m.  We were posted at mile 3 - the half marathoners were directed to turn right onto the trail and the marathoners were directed to turn left onto the trail.  Sarah and I spent the entire time cheering for the ~4,400 runners.  It was a great feeling!  We saw Brandy and I saw a girl from my gym.  I have mentioned the girl from my gym to Sarah several times before.  She runs very long distances on the treadmill and I don't know how she does it.  I am hoping to get the nerve to talk to her the next time I see her at the gym.

After the last of the half marathoners and marathoners went through our area, Sarah and I got in the car and went on a wild goose chase to find a spot to watch and cheer some more.  We followed some cars and ended up around the 11.5 mile mark.  We did our best to cheer on all the runners and many of them thanked us for being there.  YAY for supporting others!  Some of my favorite Sarah-isms:

• "You're earning those pancakes!"
• "...Kicking ass and takin' names..."
• "You are awesome.  Everyone else is at home in bed and you are running a half marathon!"
• "...CBS Sunday morning hasn't even come on and you have run 3 miles..."

I really enjoyed cheering the runners on yesterday.  I am hoping that we will be met with the same enthusiasm in Jacksonville!