the old me's dead and gone

First off, I'm sorry. Sorry for being gone so long and leaving the digital world hanging on my impending triathlon doom... errr I mean "progress". 

Here are the last 2+ weeks of updates:

After my groundbreaking 5.5 mile Tuesday night run, I was suckered into joining in my first 10K race with about 8 of my teammates. Up on a Sunday at 6am (the second early weekend morning in a row), I was sitting at the start line elaborating on how difficult the next few hours would be when one of teammates turns to me and says, "So, you ever run a whole 6.2 miles without stopping or walking?" WOW. Never suggest or inadvertently challenge me - 'cause I will come out swinging. So I started running... and kept running. For 6.2 miles and 82 straight minutes. And now I'm like a running machine... ok, maybe not... but at least I know I can do it. And the girl who at first couldn't run 2 straight minutes without wheezing, aching, and having to quit will now take nothing less than a 30 minute straight session without breaking for a mini walk.

On a more sour note, the last week has been a real step backwards and kick in the face - literally. After some moderate jaw and mouth pain for several weeks, I woke up in excruciating pain last Monday night. So, like an internet-addicted techno-geek I hoped on the computer at 2:30AM while downing enough Advil for a small African nation and proceeded to scare myself into a frenzy about what it "could" be. I finally drifted off to sleep, woke to make myself a dentist's appointment and lulled back into a med-induced stupor. Long story short, dentist's x-rays showed a massive cavity that had exposed my nerve and created a bigger infection. Now, 7 days, a bout of Penacilin and little exercise later I am feeling like I took two steps back and need a kick start to get back on track.

So after a good 4 mile run tonight, with a lot of time to think, I come back to you blogger family to tell you this: There was an old me. A me who would have let a little setback set them back to zero. Who would have been afraid to get out an run, let alone stand up for herself and do something for herself. Who would have let what others thought of her dominate what she thought of herself. 

Well let me tell you now -- I've been traveling on that road too long... and that old me's dead and gone.

Today's Jam: "Dead and Gone" T.I. featuring Justin Timberlake (Dead and Gone 2009)

Tri this Emotion: Feeling like a brand new person.

Special Props Go Out To: My incredible godmother & aunt Teri and my amazing Grandma "Easy E" Elaine

The Be-All End-All Attitude: Almost there....