the excitement begins

well, my bags are packed, im ready to go (im standing here outside your door i hate to wake you up to say gooood bye ... LOVE that song, though its sad)
ha! i have checked rechecked, rechecked, and then rechecked oh, and rechecked again - my back pack and my checkpoint bags .... now, its just a waiting game to hear back from hamilton island, send a job to the printers, then im ready to head!

time filling! love it! no *thing* has to be done right now, no responsibility, im free - bad timing for storms excitement too though, i would love to be here for her -i guess saturday, we are both doing - challenging and exciting things which is great for us both !!!! :)
and, anything that needs to be dealt with, or thought about, in my worry category inside my mind - can wait and be sorted, next week - i have cleared out my head of all concerns

tomorrow, i get to see lots of people i havent seen for ages :D - i get their emails, and they are so uplifting, but man, how good to see them all again!

for now, hmmmmmmm i could possibly grab a couple hours sleep and that wouldnt hurt, had little last night then woke early for storm but i am TOO excited for that. its just such a cool feeling when it gets to the point, where, the hours i have spent, running, training, finally have their purpose arrive and i become aware of the WHY - cos sometimes, its some very long and very lonely kms i do ...

im pretty sure i have everything. undoubtedly i dont
but the main things, definitely ... my back pack is SOOOOOOOOOOO light compared to cradle mt - the difference between checkpoints and being self supportive the whole way - this ultra has SO MUCH FOOD - so as far as carrying any, i only have one bar, some snakes and plenty of water. whistle compass map space blanket nsaids pain killers salt tablets magnesium tablets (i am NOT gonna get a cramp this time!) jacket - hmmmm and thats about it?
checkpoint bags, head lamp, torch, plenty of fresh batteries - will pick that stuff up at around 5ish ....
then wet weather gear, the cold weather gear for if needed - will repack that into cp bag required depending on the days weather, and, each bag has a different pair of shoes and fresh socks :) fresh top. fresh shorts.
oh, and a disposable toothbrush and paste! a cradle mt learning about how refreshing it can be and indeed - IS - and someone gave me one and said do it when i was feeling a little bonked!

think thats everything.

am SO glad, my shoulder is better. ripped it apart a little saturday morning, thought some ice was all it needed but the pain got progressively worse over saturday and then agonising through saturday night / sunday/ sunday night. by saturday night i could barely move and i could not be in any position where the pain was bearable. ... sunday night, slept upright in a chair - i couldnt lay at all - the pain was so excrutiating and taking iboprufen gave only momentary relief of the intensity - storm stacked pillows around me and looked after me - damn she is just fine - she ordered me to the drs and said i HAD to if i wanted to run *hoped* by monday morning, it would be completely gone though, NOPE :/
had many things to do and a trip to bowen so it was afternoon before i went to the doctors - diagnosis? frozen shoulder :/ using the stretcher, i had torn it - solution to be able to run? steroid under ultrasound ... so, he gave me a form to see mario tuesday morning. had to be done so it had time to settle ... gave me some tablets to take that he hoped would give some relief for the night. the good news. went and got the script - took a double dose of the tablets - within HALF AN HOUR - i could breathe again! i had NO pain! like, NO PAIN AT ALL!! wow. took some more before bed. got to lay down. comfortable. sooooooooooooooooooo didnt go to mario at all. i really didnt want a steroid shot. and, i know it isnt 'fixed' as such. but, as long as i can run, as long as i can lay down, and as long as the edge is taken off the pain, i am just amazed. and why dont i believe in medications??! damn! :D

have taken just one each morning and night since, and the shoulder is manageable. PLUS - have done NO exercise since last friday. well, walked a little. but no running, went to go to the gym monday before the doctor, but the shoulder hurt even changing, so, no gym. not sure if thats good or bad., but i didnt want to aggravate it and give it opportunity to become worse, or come back. but hey, michelle has always said rest is good, this may be the test, maybe i go, and with a week of rest, maybe on saturday, i run so fresh, i incredilise even myself. in which case, i guess it would be a good mantra for every race. either way, still better, not to have made it worse or flare up again.

my goal, is to do it under 20 hours, my training dictates on paper, i am MORE than capable of that, in fact, thats an easy goal ... however, ive already learned in such a short time, and by witnessing others when things havent gone to their plans, you have NO control, over what may happen on the day - i pray, for no cramps though !! i will, just give it my best shot!!! and be proud, simply in the doing and facing whatever challenges may face me on saturday/sunday - hmmm a 5.30am start, 20 hours, means - i need to be done by 1.30am sunday!!!!!!! that sounds so cool. i CAN do it!

i have trained well. i am strong. im capable of ANYTHING! i have a lot of people supporting me. and, i have ME, supporting me!

strength - faith - courage. cant forget it when its on my leg - all the way.

w00t w00t w00t w00t w00t!!!