The Road to Dopey: Week 26 - A Wedding and a Defense

July Miles to Date: 3.2
July Average Pace: 16:47
2016 Miles to Date: 172.0
Yoga Sessions this week: 3
Streak Day: 71 (Maximum: 71)
The American 200: 172.0/200 (9/16/16 Deadline)

Oh yeah, and I made my dress.

My defense is three days away. It feels long and short. Soon and far away. Simultaneously. I'm ready, and I'm not. I will probably never be fully ready. So instead I am taking it one day at a time, reviewing what I can, and practicing. All your good thoughts on Wednesday please.

For a bit of a study break (and a bit of fun), yesterday I went to a wedding of a former labmate. It was absolutely beautiful and a great time. I saw two labmates who I haven't seen since they graduated in 2014, which was wonderful. These were the two women who taught me most of the things I turned around and applied in my research. I didn't realize how much I had missed them until I saw them again, so I was really glad I went.

As I was driving home, I realized just how quickly my time in Texas is drawing to a close. That is most likely the last time I will make that drive to Austin. I only have three weekends left here. And that is so weird. I don't know how it happened. I just turned around and it's almost over.

I won't miss Texas. I really won't. It's hot, and sprawling, and dusty, and full of pollen I'm allergic to. But there have been some great people here. And I've learned a lot of things, both in my education and about myself. I'm not the same person who moved here 5 years ago. And that's not a bad thing.

Streak day 71. 71 days of showing up for me. Wow. I know I say it every week, but when this started, I honestly didn't think I'd make it this far. I didn't think that every day for 71 days I'd do my workout. Just because I'd been doing such a capital 'B' Bad job of that for over a year. Something would obviously have derailed me. But it hasn't. I've been determined to keep this alive. And it led to over 40 miles in June!


Defense day will be a real test of the streak, however. I know I probably won't think I have time to run on Wednesday morning, so I'll have to do yoga that afternoon or evening. I am so nervous about Wednesday. It's just the unknown that scares me. The fact that they can literally ask me anything, and even though I'm reviewing and reading and studying, there is no way I can be prepared for everything. Which is terrifying to admit or comes to terms with.

So I'm going to go back to studying.