Racing Dilemma Solved ... I guess

So, I had this whole post written out over my freaking out over my race plans to NYE/ NYD ... wait, wait, wait. I don't know if or how much I've shared on this subject before (and I'm too darn lazy right now to go look it up), so I might as well run (ha. I made a funny) through it all quick. Please excuse the copy and post from the original, slightly whiney, post ...

"I’m kicking my booty out the door and forcing myself to embrace running in the cold and (far too soon for my liking) snow. To enforce this, I’m considering a couple 5k races close to home (and I DO mean CLOSE). The problem is, the start times are only 14 hours apart. Yikes. I asked for advice on the subject on facebook the other night and, as entertaining as some of the responses were (*cough*Kyle*cough*), it was only non-runners responding. I value my friends’ opinions, but I think I need to hear from runners too.

So, the first race I’m looking at is the 2011 Midnight Special. This race starts at 11:45pm on NYE (which means I will DEFINITELY be running when the clock strikes midnight) and the home base is my old middle school, literally 5 minutes from my house. While I could go out and be young and drunk and stupid, this is more for the person I'm trying to be; healthy, fit, and happy. What better way to start off a new year and my resolutions than to be running?! I guess about 350 people ran this last year and they're expecting about the same number, maybe a few more, this year. Medals are awarded for each age group (At least 5 deep! Woah!) and there is a finisher medal for everyone (but anyone after the 350th finisher will get theirs in the mail).

Anyway, Midnight Special isn't the race I'm conflicted about (as much). The other race starts 14 hours after Midnight Special, 2pm on January 1st. The race is called the Hangover Classic. I know, I laughed too. This one is an out-and-back race (most likely up the W-C Trail) from the Monclova Community Center, which is only a couple minutes further away than the middle school. I really want to run both but I don't know if my body would handle it."

Now, this is the point where I had to step away from my computer to go take care of something and ended up having a bit of an epiphany. I have a notebook full of quotes and I'm always adding to it. I was copying running quotes into my notebook while sitting outside my advisor's office waiting for him to get off the phone and I found this ...

"In running, it doesn't matter whether you come in first, in the middle of the pack, or last. You can say, 'I have finished.' There is a lot of satisfaction in that."
-Fred Lebow, New York City Marathon co-founder

... and this ...

"Racing teaches us to challenge ourselves. It teaches us to push beyond where we thought we could go. It helps us to find out what we are made of. This is what we do. This is what it's all about."
-PattiSue Plumer, U.S. Olympian 

... and I knew I was going to run both races.

I will probably RACE the Midnight Special [*crosses fingers for a PR*] and just run (for fun) the Hangover Classic, but I'm going to complete both. I was thinking about it yesterday while I was running and it just cemented my determination about the whole thing. I want to do this. For me.

Registrations and checks are going in the mail tomorrow morning.

So who wants to run with me? Or even come cheer me on? :)