Today I had a pretty crappy run. I intended to run 6 today but only got 5 done. The problem started when I realized I was dressed way too warm for the weather. It was chilly this morning so I had on some thick pants, a short sleeve shirt and my Nike jacket. I ran some errands after putting Quinn on the bus then headed to the W&OD Trail. As soon as I got out of my car, I knew I was going to be super hot. I took off the jacket but 10 minutes in, I was burning up. The wind was pretty strong but it didn't seem to help much. My legs felt really tired and I felt like I was huffing and puffing so I cut the run short and quit after 5 miles. BUT! I can be a glass half full kind of gal! I'm looking at it like this: I haven't had a crappy run in a long time so I was due. And how perfect that it came on Wednesday before the half marathon! Yay! Got that out of the way! See? Totally positive thinking here. Oh! I saw some kind of crazy animal today on the trail! From far away, I thought it was a dog on the path but then as I got closer, I decided it was a large cat. Getting closer, I thought "ok, seriously large cat"....he started moving around all nutty like and then I was 100% positive that it was a massive beaver and 150% sure it was going to bite my ankles as I ran by. It waited until I got right up on it to scamper into the brush and honestly, I still have no clue what it was. It didn't have that beaver dude tail so I'm sure I was wrong on that guess but I know a cat when I see one and it wasn't that either! Gopher? Too small, um, I think...how big is a gopher? Ground hog?? Hmmm...possibly. I wish it was a duck billed platypus, I've always been fascinated with them. I'm such a city girl it isn't even funny.

I found out my bib number: 20762. That means I'm in the second wave of runners. According to my super-official-official-runner-handbook, there are approximately 2,500 runners in each pen. The first is starting at 9:45 then they will wait 5 minutes after them to start the second pen. So I should get going around noon. Kidding. But seriously, this get in a pen and wait like cattle thing is totally new to me. I hope I don't have to poop.

We are hitting the road for Baltimore Friday some time after lunch. I really can't wait to leave. I just want to get there. I might have my husband drive the route but I haven't decided for sure yet. I was going to do that in Fredericksburg but decided that it would make me too nervous so I didn't. In hindsight, I wish I had because I learned that I don't know how to properly read an elevation chart. Those little hills kicked my ass when they turned out to be big-freaking-mountains so it would be nice to be prepared. Who knows. I may just get a beer and go to bed.