Dilemma

I am sitting here in the midst of a dilemma.  I have my next half marathon on deck, a mere ten days away.  It is the Colfax Marathon, and I have really been looking forward to it because it starts in my neighborhood (right where we're having our wedding, actually), and it practically runs by the house.  Here, though is my problem.  For the past four weeks, I have been nursing an injury, and then on top of that, I got a cold that at first seemed minor, but then settled in for a 14 day stay in my chest, bringing with it a horrific cough and shortness of breath.  Today, I am going to the gym, and that will be the first time I work out at all in almost two weeks, besides playing golf (not really a workout in my book).  I have not run in almost three weeks.  I am still under the weather and feeling vastly unprepared and nervous about this race.

Mike told me last night that he thinks I should forfeit this race and find another to sign up for in its place, a little further along in the year, and when I am better prepared and trained.  He expressed worry that having a bad time would be discouraging to me (it definitely wouldn't make me happy) and that he thought it seemed wrong to push for it when I am still teetering on the edge of an injury, especially right before our wedding and the mini-honeymoon where we hope to hike the Grand Canyon for a couple days.

I am not sure what to do.  I have already paid for the race, so I feel like I need to do it, but yes, having another 3 hour time would probably make me feel bad, like everything I have worked for since my last half (disaster) and since I decided to embark on this entire journey was in vain.  I am not as worried about the injury as I am about the fact that my breathing still sounds like the beginning of a Mucinex commercial, the part where the little green guys are still making their home in the guy's chest. I am super frustrated right now, mostly because it seems as if I've hit nearly every possible obstacle in the past five months.  But, what has come out of it is that I really don't feel defeated by these things.  I just feel challenged.  And this whole ordeal is supposed to be challenging to start with, so who am I to say?  I need suggestions.  And help.

I know I will meet my goal either way, but what should I do?  Reschedule another race and let this one go?  Or get out there with little expectation and try not to get hurt? ARRRRGGH! I would love some insight!

In addition, I would like to thank my first few donors for my Girls on the Run fundraising efforts, and I would also like to thank Jamie from Fitness Insights, Christi from Pedestrian Runner, and my good friend Kristina (an awesome IronMan) from Ditch the Tiara.  Your help and suggestions for all of my issues have been helping immensely.  I'll get there!

I have linked all of their blogs, so check them out.  Totally inspiring, and inspiration is what I'm after.  Now, off to massage my own backside with a tennis ball, then hit the gym.