Deep Breath...

"The purpose of life is to live it, to taste experience to the utmost, to reach out eagerly and without fear for newer and richer experience."
--Eleanor Roosevelt

I'm starting to freak out a little about this Europe trip. I keep waiting for something to go wrong. Also, packing is going to be a nightmare. We're not checking any bags; we're just bringing two carry-ons each. And we're going to two different climates. And I need to bring four pairs of shoes. Also, I know maybe six words in French.

I've made made a list (surprise!) of little things I still have to do before our departure in less than a week. Holy shiz, less than a week. It seems unreal. I don't think it's really going to sink in until the plane lands in Switzerland and all the signs are in German or Rumantsch or whatever the hell they speak in Zurich.

It's at the point where my heart starts to pound like I've just run a mile whenever I think about it. So let's transition.

I mentioned in a blog post a few days ago that my Couch to 5k program required me to run for 20 minutes straight. Well folks, I did it! Twenty minutes of running without stopping. I was going pretty slow near the end and I kind of felt like diving off a cliff, but I did it! Gwen (I've named the lady who tells me when to run and when to walk Gwen) told me that I can really call myself a runner now. So take that, Past Me! I did it!

I'm beginning to realize that running is not just a physically demanding activity. There were moments in that 20-minute run when knew I was about to collapse, but I pushed myself through. Then I was able to run for another ten minutes. So I think a big part of it is all in your head. Confidence is key. And part of the reason I was able to push myself is because of the fantastic support I've been getting from my friends and family. BIG thank you to everyone for the encouragement!