RNR Arizona: TNT Inspiration Dinner

Ahhhhh! I’m running a MARATHON tomorrow morning!! 😯 Even though I probably won’t sleep very much tonight, my bed is calling my name, so I’m going to whiz right through this post.

Tonight, Mal and I attended Team In Training’s Inspiration Dinner, which was exactly what we needed to get inspired to run 26.2 miles tomorrow. I’m nervous as hell, but pumped!

Dinner included your typical pre-race fare: pasta, salad, dinner rolls, and grilled chicken.

There are only six TNT participants from Massachusetts, so Mal and I joined the National Team, which is made up of misfit runners from all over the country. The Minnesota team took us under their wing and adopted us for the weekend, so our team for tomorrow includes runners from Minnesota, Wisconsin, Idaho, Iowa, Arkansas, and Massachusetts.

I filled my plate with a mix of veggies and pasta with Parmesan sprinkled on top. (I kept things simple to avoid any stomach issues tomorrow.)

During dinner, we heard from a number of speakers, who offered last-minute advice, made us laugh, and shared stories that tugged at our heartstrings. I also learned that 450 people are running for Team In Training tomorrow and the group raised $1.6 million to fund patient services and research for the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society.

Even though I simply set out to run a marathon, I now know that I am part of something much bigger and more important. (There’s a good chance I’ll run another race with TNT. Get read for another Blog Bake Sale! 😉 )

See ya at the finish line!

“I’ve learned that finishing a marathon isn’t just an athletic achievement. It’s a state of mind; a state of mind that says anything is possible.”