Just a small bit of what I hope to find in my near future.  I shall be searching for stateside jobs until I find one that is suitable...and then I'm coming home.

I finally met the rest of my team (they are brilliant) about 30 minutes before and having other women to warm up with helped me push through the anxiety to make it to a very crowded starting line. 

It's as almost as though the starting gun pierced a hole in the firmament because it poured down with rain immediately after the start and didn't stop until I rounded out the Colosseum at about 3k mark.  As an Oregonian (proud) I can say that I was perhaps the only one who wasn't bothered. 

Besides the heavy breather that accompanied me for the race in it's entirety (he was my worst nightmare), and wet slippery cobblestones, all was well and I finished 13th with my slowest time ever of about 20 minutes and 10 seconds or so (I am still looking for the final race results); my teammates finishing 2nd, 3rd, and 8th.   

So after this race I have learned that:

1. It's not where you are but where you are going that matters.
2. I lost 40,000 seconds that I can never get back for no apparent reason.
3. Heavy breathers should be forced to wear identification at the starting line.
4. It's time to do some speedwork.

I had a dream last night about the upcoming Race for the Cure that I'm doing on Sunday (I can only guess that this is why).  It starts with me stopping to tie my shoelace that would magically come untied every time I would retie it.  I was thinking my time is going to be reeaaally slow, damnit!! Next after I finally get it tied, I get up to start running again and there is noone in sight.  I went around asking everyone where the course was and noone knew!!  I kept thinking that the race organizers were odd for making the race disappear like that and how the hell did everyone get so far ahead of me and....then I woke up.

I cannot help but try to analyze my dreams.  Last month I had a dream I was being stalked by three dogs in masks and I hid in a house with a cat named Dave who scared the living shit out of me.  Well, analyzing that one just made me think I need to change something in my diet. :D

I do know what this dream meant, however:  I think it is due to the fact that I've been putting in the mileage but not the speedwork and I'm nervous about Sunday.  I'm terrified to run a slow 5k!!

It's time to start getting mentally prepared and just take races as they come, no matter what my shape.  I don't think my childhood pup ever had to worry about any of this....

I will miss my Aussie housemate, but won't miss her early morning waking hours. I won't miss the crumbling ceiling although it is very french chic my friends tell me. I'll miss opening the door to find the old Napolean accordian player and his music.  I won't miss the smelly punk heroin addicts with the big dirty dogs though.  I'll miss having Todis (an amazing grocery store) 5 meters from my front door: they have the best yogurt imported from Germany. 

This is how I've gotten to know Rome.  I've lived in 5 apartments so far and most of my Italian friends think I'm crazy for moving so often (Some of them still live at home with their rents).  I've learned about the city this way...new people, new places, new runs...it's enlightening.  I used to need the stability of one place for an extended period of time until I realized that stability exists in my head, not in an apartment.  Plus carrying boxes is a good alternative to the gym.

:D