Logistical issues

It's been said that you shouldn't worry about what you can't control.  While that is certainly true in most instances, there is also the saying that every action has a reaction.  By deductive reasoning, this means that even if you can't control something's occurrence, you can control how you respond to it.  Therefore, you can still worry about how you react to those things you can't control.

Does that make any sense at all?

Let me put this into very specific perspective.  I'm registered to run the CARA Lakefront 10-Miler tomorrow morning.  I've been monitoring the weather forecast for the past few days, and it has consistently been predicting temperatures in the upper 30s/lower 40s, 20+ mph winds, and rain rain rain rain rain.

I'm already concerned about running 10 miles in less-than-ideal weather conditions.  Not to mention a hilly course that I'm not used to, plus my intermittant knee and hip pain that stubbornly can't be shaken.

(By the way, I have quite a history of picking races that end up getting bad weather.  If Las Vegas allowed bets on the weather, you'd probably win millions (MILLIONS!) if you bet your entire piggy bank on bad weather any day that I'm running a race.  Meteorologists of the world, you've been warned.)

Insert my picture here.

Add to this that I also have family in town this weekend from DC.  They are staying in the northern burbs, but they very kindly want to come down to the city tomorrow morning to cheer me on at the finish line.  Since they don't know the city at all, we wouldn't want them trying to find their way to the race site by themselves.  It'd be way too confusing for them, plus parking can be so difficult.  Therefore, the plan is for Adam, bless his true altruism, to drop me off at the race start, then head up to the burbs to meet them for breakfast.  Afterwards, he'll drive back down into the city with them and they'll all go to the race finish line together to watch me cross (hopefully).

My honest thought is that this is an ambitious game plan.  Who knows what the traffic or parking situation will be like, especially if it's raining?  My fear is that it will be a very stressful morning for all involved.

To make matters even worse, I haven't picked up my race packet yet.  This is because packet pickup is being held at a running store that is very inconvenient both to where I live and work.  Therefore, I am going to attempt race-day packet pick-up, and I may also need to check a bag at gear check. 

We've been warned to allow ample time in case packet pickup lines are long.  This means that I'll be walking the fine line of allowing myself enough time for packet pickup/bag check, but not so much time that I end up spending a long time waiting in the rain for the race to start.  Although, I guess in the end it won't matter - odds are I'll be getting completely rain-soaked, no matter what.  But it does throw another variable into the mix.

I really do want to run this race.  I know I shouldn't worry about the weather because despite me singlehandedly throwing off the odds in Vegas, I can't control the rain or wind or temps.  However, I can control how I prepare or react to the weather - and running the race will require an enormous collective effort from so many people.

Therefore, if the weather is as bad as forecasted, I am admittedly considering skipping the race.  I never want to incur a DNS for a race, especially one that I've been looking forward to.  But logistically there is so much involved with this race that bad weather will compound things horribly.

Lots of anxiety for a Friday afternoon.  Ugh. 

To be continued.