4 - Tuesday Tribute

Your regularly scheduled "Tuesday Trial" will be replaced today with "Tuesday Tribute". I'd like to take a moment to thank a few people that have been there for me along the way that will not be there (in person but def in spirit) come race day...

My Readers - First and foremost I want to thank all of you for reading all my crazy adventures; from those of you that have been there every step of the way to those of you newly joined that come to find a little bit of inspiration amongst the madness that is my training. It's been a crazy couple of months and there have been more times than I can count where ya'll have been the inspiration I needed to keep on running. You have all become my friends, my personal cheerleaders and in some cases so much more.

I feel as if I have been training alongside each of you and sharing in the ups and downs of this running madness that has taken over our lives. A few of you especially, I find myself emailing on the side or wondering how your runs fared as I finish up mine... I have turned to you for advice, to vent, to celebrate and to encourage... In all of you I have found an overwhelming bevy of support, encouragement and friendship. Please know that I will be thinking of each of you as I run 26.2 and I hope to make you all proud as I cross the finish line.

Therese - Who knew our Blind Running Date would turn into one of the highlights of my week!?!? I truly treasure our weekly Wednesday runs! Thanks for being there to help me push through the bad ones, for all the wonderful girl chat and for always keeping it real. Don't think for a minute that I'm letting you off the hook after Chicago either! We have an outstanding Wednesday date indefinitely!!! We have to get you groomed for that Half Marathon someday!!!


Tall Guy Surfing - I am so thankful that we have reconnected and have gotten a chance to run together. I look forward to many more as you continue to train for Disney! You are going to do great and I'm so excited for you!!!

Deputy S - Thanks for running that first 10 miler with me and coming back on board for some entertaining recovery runs lately! I can't wait to have some real runs stacked up after I recover from Chi-town and there's defintely some training rides in our future!

Work - Although no one at my work knows this blog exists I still gotta thank them for letting me get away with not wearing real shoes for the last six months, for not minding (too much) that I am always a few minutes late and usually half dressed or groomed, for ignoring my hobbling around the office in ace bandages or ice packs and most importantly for always cheering me on even though the majority of them think I have absolutely lost my mind.

The Roomies - I owe you both so much; from putting up with my quirky running/after run habits to my funktacular smelliness. (Although I still don't think I'm nearly as smelly as Ellie) Your enthusiasm, patience and support has been unmatched. Extra special thanks to The Brunette for being there every step of the way since we've moved in and for helping me overcome the "Negative Nancies", riding alongside me in the mornings aka being my "body guard" (I'm so lucky to have someone that actually wants to and enjoys riding alongside), spending lame nights on the couch watching movies and for being there for me the few times I've broke down.

The B.R.A. - I love ya'll so much and am so thankful you were introduced into my life! You accepted me with open (sweaty, smelly) arms and have been there for more than a few running mile stones. You have given me encouragement, support and friendship I never expected, I am honored to have been made as an honorary member to the Saturday runs and breakfasts' and I look forward to riding alongside a few of you during the Ragnar.
P-Funk & V - As I've said before, you ladies have more heart than anyone I know and I can't wait to hear how you killed it at MCM!
Coach Tom - Thank you for my wood and all the sweaty hugs! I better always be your fav redhead!!! LOL! ;)

Coach EK - You have gone out of your way to assist me with my training, advice on my injuries, answering slews of questions, giving recommendations, encouragement, etc... I am so thankful for all that you have done for me and if I had the power, I would ensure that your favorite Salted Caramel drink was permanately re-installed back on the Starbucks menu.

Lazy Runner - Although you have been a constant source of frustration and a general pain in my @ss; I definitely owe you a ton of thanks for all the times I haven't wanted to kill you. You are solely responsible for starting the trend of my running adventures. You have helped me push through some of the hardest moments of my training and you have been my personal cheerleader more oft than not. Together we ran further than either of us had ever gone and you always made sure the spotlight has shown on me rather than yourself at the end. Although you have done your best to drive me insane and almost kill me time after time I still love ya for all those moments along the way where it was just you, me and the road before us... Thank you for all the crazy adventures and for helping me believe in myself, please know that I truly appreciate everything you have done for me over the last few months. I wish you the best of luck at MCM, not that you'll need it, as I know you'll pull through just fine and prob blow my time out of the water, because for all your lack of training, you are still a magnificent runner.

To my crazy crew and the nameless few (aka The Beaker-Luv Clan, Ebs, Kimmy, Jamily, Linds and Yolanda) - In the last year my life has turned upside down and done a complete 180 and ya'll have been there for the entire ride. You've sat through endless hours of my going on and on and on about running.... You've been pushed to the wayside as running took precedence over my social life and yet through it all you've been 100% supportive and encouraging and I can't thank you enough for humoring me and believing in me. I can't wait to have dinner with all of you when I return from Chicago to celebrate the victory, my birthday and our friendship.

Rixy - Obviously all the above applies to you as well but I wanted to pay an extra bit of thanks to you for everything that you have done for me; from being there at the finish line at Gasparilla (in the rain no less) to putting together my Marathon Care Package, it has all meant so much to me. I never expected that you would truly appreciate what I am doing and that you would take the time to be apart of it all. I wish you could be there again at the finish line, but know that you will be, in spirit, and you're going to be the very first person I call. I love you so much and thank you for everything.

"Thank you for being a friend...
traveled down the road and back again...
your heart is true you're a pal and a confident..."

This concludes the Sappy McSapperson posts for a few days... from here on out it's nothing but nitty gritty race prep baby!!!

T-MINUS 4 DAYS TIL CHICAGO!!!