San Francisco Run

I'm in serious training for a half-marathon in San Francisco. The only reason I'm doing this is that the course runs over the Golden Gate Bridge twice. That sounds like an adventure. I have a little under two months to go. I was planning on it like four months ago. It was so far away then. Now, it seems quite near and just a little frightening.

Along with how hard it is to run 13.1 miles, there is my fear of bridges, heights, water, and crowds. I figured they closed down the bridge and I could run right down the middle. Then I looked at some pictures of previous races and I don't think that is what they do. I think the traffic keeps going and the runners are on the little walkways attached to the bridge. So I've got 60 mph traffic on one side, a precipitous fall on the other, the crashing surf below, and above us only sky. I'm feeling a little anxious just thinking about it.

I just googled "Golden Gate Walkway" to get a look at it. I'm feeling a little bit better now. The walkway is fairly wide and they have a screen making it more difficulty to fall over. I don't know if this is a real thing, but I've always worried about something I like to call "Spontaneous suicide". You don't plan on it, but maybe standing on a cliff you just momentarily your senses and hurl yourself off the cliff. I believe it would be rare, but it only takes once.

Another issue is that I'm so slow its going to take me a long time to get across. Before, I could just pick it up and sprint the quarter mile or whatever it is. I don't sprint quarter miles any more.

Until I started writing this blog, my only thought has been the running. Now I've got all kinds of issues. And earthquakes. I just now thought about that. They're famous for earthquakes. I'll be plodding along the Golden Gate and before you know it I'll be at the Pearly Gates.

So, I've got exactly eight weeks now to get in adequate shape and face my other assorted fears.