This is all great (and encouraging!) advice. Thanks, ladies!
Perhaps, to Jetgirl's point about psyching yourself out, this might be a good time to use visualization techniques. I've always liked to picture my muscles as chocolate melting in the sun. (Or on top of a marshmallow and a graham cracker, if I'm in the mood for s'mores!)
When I used to work for a high-end builder, my boss Bill used to love showing off his splits. He'd take a running jump and dive right into it. He was in his late 40's. One day, Bill's friend stopped by the office - and just as he leaped into the air and landed in a perfect split, about 40 vitamin pills flew out of his pocket, scattering all over the floor. We never let him live that down.
I guess if a middle-aged construction worker can do it, there's hope for me, too
