Elmeka

On Monday, I ran (and walked) the Loop. For those who are not familiar, the Loop is a course in Philadelphia beginning at the Museum of Art and going down Kelly Drive, crossing the Falls Bridge and coming back up West River Drive. Its approximately 8.4 miles. And Monday, for the first time, I completed it. It was a weird experience and after I crossed the bridge, I began wondering “what did I get myself into?” My problem most of the time is that I get bored and the iPod doesn’t really do it for me all the time. So its difficult to stay focused.

At mile 7, my feet began to hurt. I was so close, yet so far from my destination that I couldn’t give up. Feet hurting and all, I played my power song, danced a little (people began honking at this point) and made my way to the final stretch back to my car. AAAAHHH! What a feeling that was!

Sunday…in two days…I will attempt my first half marathon. I am under prepared as the Loop accomplishment was the longest distance I actually attempted and I trained actively for all of 3 weeks since July. But as a part of my other goal (to finish most things I initiate) I am going to complete this race…even if I have to dance all the way to the finish line!

A few weeks ago I was accepted to the Project Abroad program to study Spanish in Costa Rica for two weeks. I was thinking about extending it to a month or maybe going to Peru for an additional two weeks. I feel like its actually real now, that I will be in another country totally out of my element and increasing my knowledge in another language. sigh Its definitely surreal right now. Maybe the closer it gets to June it will become more and more real then.

In therapy this week, I realized that I have changed a lot of who I am for the person I am with…with or without them asking me to. And not even in relationships, I would often change my interests when around different people and situations to appear more interesting. I have rarely been comforable in my own skin. It hurts to realize that I have no idea who I am. So my therapist told me to make a list of who I am, things I like, foods I like, etc. So I am in the process of honestly making an effort to figure out those things :) Stay tuned…