Cue the violins

Day 27 of 130
Ks covered: 140
Ks to go: 962
General mood: exhausted
Running highlight: A gutsy Saturday performance
Equipment status: Untouched in five days
Body status: Running on empty

Thanks everyone for all the great suggestions. In fact, in the wee hours of Saturday morning, I tried something completely new: Instead of a regular distance run, I undertook a series of 50m sprints… to the bathroom – living up to the ingenious nickname of my childhood tormentors – “Becky Barf-Bag.”

Yes, the stomach flu purged its way through our household this weekend, enforcing an unavoidable mid-program rest period – and a late blog entry!  I’m sure Crazy Haruki would have simply run through it, trading his Gatorade for Pepto Bismol and his dri-wick underwear for Depends. But it’s been five days since my last dash and I’d still rather lace a drink than lace my sneaker.

Stopping this madness right here seems easier. I’m tired, drained (literally) and I just want to go back to my pre-Kenyan couch and eat chips. Alas, the path to greatness is not paved with Pringles.  “Serious” athletes just get off their butts and run through it – whatever ‘it’ is. Witness the fortitude of some real athletes on show Friday at the Vancouver Olympics.  Mr Shiny-Pants, Patrick Chan admits he still feels calf pain on some of his jumps. Does he let that stop him? No! He just throws in an extra salchow and gets on with the routine…no one cares if he winces as he minces. Oh, and U.S. Gold Medal Favourite skier Lindsay Vonn revealed today  that her shin is bruised so badly she can hardly put her ski boot on…albeit I just can’t feel sorry for someone who is athletic, cute and seems to be a nice person. And, I can’t even joke about what paralympians have overcome to compete.

So while I’m not representing my country and the only medal I will ever receive for my sport will be for “trying really hard and finishing,”  I best stop writing, get up and hit the streets – albeit today, I think I’ll go with the shiny pants.

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