2 bad days in a row

yesterday and today's runs (can't even really call them runs) have been awful. Did 5 on the treadmill yesterday but probably walked half of it. Did 4 1/2 today and walked most of it....feeling awful. I have a cold and so I Took nite-quil last night and the previous night and I think the morning after effects of the medicine are kicking my butt. Won't even bother listing my times....

Divine Intervention?

Had another "Divine intervention" moment last night....gotta share! I'm sure everyone is thinking I've lost touch with reality anyway....so I may as well seal the opinions...lol!

A few years back my mom gave me her wedding ring from her marriage to my dad. I love the ring and of course the sentiment behind it ....there's actually another "Divine intervention" moment that is attached to this ring that I'll share some other time.....and have always wanted to wear it but my mom's fingers are tiny so it never fit me....too small for my ring finger but too large for my pinkie. I've always wanted to take it to a jewelry store to have it sized to fit me but just never got around to it or kept forgetting. So this past week I've been wearing it on my pinkie finger even though it's too large because I wanted to remember to set aside some time to get it sized....it's loose but wearable if I'm careful. So last night at 5:55pm I was in my car on my way to the pet store when I looked at my hand and realized the ring wasn't on my finger. My heart sank....I called Dan at home and told him to keep his eye out for it...all I knew was that I had it on my finger when we left church. But we went for ice cream after church....looked at open houses after that....for all I knew it could've fallen off my finger in the bathroom at one of the houses we looked at. When I came home I was upset....this ring is very special to me...I didn't even know where to start looking it could've been anywhere. So I only glanced around on the floors and counters....I searched the laundry that I had folded earlier in the day...looked in the drawers of the laundry I put away....searched in sheets that I had folded...couldn't find it. So we were watching a movie later last night..."because I said so"....cute movie by the way....but I couldn't stop thinking about the ring ....and about how in the hell I was going to explain to my mom that I lost her wedding ring...I searched in my purse during the movie thinking maybe it had fallen off while I was getting something out of it....nothing. So when the movie finished I went to the bathroom....sitting on the toilet (pretty picture...I know)....my forehead resting on my fists I said to myself in my head as clearly as if I had said it out loud "dad, please help me find this ring".....within 2 minutes I knew before even looking where the ring was....it just POPPED into my head...literally....in my laundry room sink I keep a bucket for soaking stained cloths in oxyclean water before washing them. Jordyn had spilled red Gatorade on her shirt so I had put her shirt in this bucket earlier in the day. I walked to the bucket....picket her shirt up out of the water....and there on the bottom of the bucket was my mom's wedding ring.

Now tell me I'm losing my mind! I dare you! LMAO!

12 miles with TNT group

Today was a little rough. Sticky...humid...I'm getting a cold...ran alone....just rough. I did pretty good considering. 12.19 (I want full credit...there will be no rounding!) miles in 2:18. Which averages out to be 11.3 min mile. Ran 2 miles walked 1 minute for the full 12 miles and took 1 pee break....so considering all the walk breaks and the potty break...that's not too shabby! I've discovered the secret to running by myself....listening to downloaded book tapes on my ipod...it's perfect because I'm concentrating on the story instead of my aching legs.

Love running with a group!

I can't say enough about how much nicer and easier it is running with a group. Ran with Diane and 2 of her friends today and the time flew by. We did 7 miles. I have no idea what our time was but I know when we finish the first 4 miles we were at 44 minutes....so about an 11 min mile. Took 2 walk breaks...of course I was the only one that had to pee....felt bad for making them stop but they didn't seem to mind....I think I'm eventually going to have to bite the bullet and get over my stage fright and just learn how to squat!....I keep hearing how all runners do it....I'm just not there yet....LMAO! The first 2 miles where hard....I kept thinking to myself "there's no way I'm going to be able to keep up with these guys today"....but I kept going and once I got past the first 1 or 2 miles it just kept getting easier and easier.....the last 3 miles were a breeze....in the end I felt like I could have kept going. My whole body just felt really good! Doing 12 on Saturday with the TNT group....not looking forward to running alone again....oh-well....

I spent some time yesterday looking back at the beginning of this blog and I'm amazed at how far I've come in just 2 1/2 months....I went from never running before and not being able to run more than 5 minutes at a time to now running distances of up to 12 miles. 2 1/2 months ago I never thought it would be possible....I'm very proud of myself....(I'm patting myself on the back right now)....

I love the quote of the week for this week!

I'm loving this week's quote! Brings home the fact that everyone's "little bits" together add up to a whole lot of "little bits"! So far I've received 29 donations....29 little bits added up to over $2,000 .....Our group of 5 TNT runners/walkers have raised a combined total of over $8,000 so far!!!!!!!!!! I know the quote isn't necessarily talking about monetary differences but in this case it applies!


“We must not, in trying to think about how we can make a big difference, ignore the small daily differences we can make which, over time, add up to big differences that we often cannot foresee.”
- Marian Wright Edelman


Found this following excerpt from the LLS's website...found it interesting....


Between 1995 and 2004, the Society enjoyed tremendous growth including a 364 percent increase in revenue. In fact, during the same period, the Society's research funding increased 378 percent (from $8.6 million to $41.1 million).

The good news is . . .

Cure rates for some forms of childhood leukemia have risen from 4% in 1960 to 84% today
The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society funds more than 400 researchers in 11 countries and provides thousands of patients support through family support groups, website chats, free seminars and conferences, financial aid, and programs like "First Connection" where cancer patients are partnered with cancer survivors who provide support and advice.
Our world-renowned SCOR research teams work together in complementary disciplines, each focused on accelerating the discover of breakthrough approaches for diagnosing and treating blood cancers

But we still have bad news . . .

Leukemia, lymphoma and multiple myeloma are the major forms of blood-related cancers, with leukemia being a leading disease killer of children in America.
Every nine minutes, another child or adult is expected to die from leukemia, lymphoma, or myeloma. This statistic represents 158 people each day, or seven people every hour.
Lymphoma incidence rates have inexplicably increased by 71% between 1975 and 2000, the highest rate of increase for any cancer.
Multiple myeloma is one of the top 10 leading causes of death among African Americans.
An estimated 747,000 Americans are living with a blood cancers

5 miles

5 miles in 56:04. 2 walk breaks....1 at 3 miles and 1 at 4.5 miles to cross Dequindre...had to wait for traffic. Not too shabby...didn't feel real good but I'm sure tomorrow will be worse because it'll be my 3rd day in a row....The recovery days definitely make a difference. I think I'm running with Diane and her crew tomorrow...that'll help.

Ran in the rain

well....it was really only a drizzle...but It felt good. Did 6 at stoney and only took one walk break. It was a bit of a PIA because their doing work on the path...so they had the path closed off at one point....so I couldn't just loop around. I had to turn back around and back track. Oh well, Finished in 68 minutes. Wanted to stop more but I tried to pretend that I was running with a group...I kept saying to myself...ok...if I were running with Diane...would I really feel bad enough to have to stop and fall behind?...the answer was always no...I know I can do it now so I have to psych myself out....it's all in my head. My time didn't improve any without the walk breaks because the longer I run....the slower I run. I actually find that my time is faster when I take my 1 minute walk breaks more frequently. But I don't care about that....I just want to be able to run as much of it as I can.

I kept up with them!

WOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!!! What a day! I ran my long run with Diane and her running group this morning and did AWESOME! It makes a world of difference being with a group. It really helped me push myself. It was great because they all run my pace & they were a very enjoyable group to be with...they all made me laugh which really helped pass the time quickly! So today was all about running the distance without stopping...and they really helped me do that. I ran 10.32 miles. Ran the 1st 4 and then we stopped for a potty/stretch break...ran another 3 and stopped for another potty/stretch break....then finished with the last 3....that's the best I've done yet. They went on to do 11 miles and I stopped to stretch and wait for them. They're a couple weeks ahead of me in their training because they're doing the Chicago marathon which is 2 weeks before Detroit's. I carried on conversations almost the entire time. It felt great. The last mile was hell but I was very proud of myself for continuing. If I had been alone today doing my run I can pretty much guarantee that I would have walked much more than I did. For that reason I think I'm going to alternate my long run days between the TNT group and this group. When I run with TNT I always end up alone because no-one runs my pace. I'm the slowest of the runners but faster than the walkers....so that leaves me somewhere in the middle....by my self. I can't push myself when I'm alone....it's too easy to cheat and give up. So we'll see.

Trip to Indianapolis

I spent the week in Indianapolis with the boys. They had their gymnastics camp. So I ran 8 miles on Monday at the White River park. It was a beautiful day and the canal and river that I ran along was gorgeous! I have no idea what my time was... I was just out to enjoy the day...and I did! The picture to the right is the canal...the 2nd picture is White River.

Wednesday I was hoping to go to the Eagle Creek Park but it poured and stormed all day so I ended up just doing my 5 miles at the gym that the boys were practicing at. Actually I don't technically know how far I ran...I just ran the track for an hour....my gps doesn't work indoors so I had to guess-timate. The running track is above the gym so I was able to watch the boys during their practice...made the time go by a little faster.

Friday was another beautiful day outside so I was torn...I really wanted to run outside but Friday was the day that Paul and Morgan Hamm were coming to coach the boys and do their exhibition show...I didn't want to miss any of it so I just ended up running my 6 miles (or there abouts) at the track again. Took 2 walk breaks....running 2 miles at a time. The last photo shows the boys warming up on the running track with the Hamm brothers...the one in the blue t-shirt is Morgan (I think....still have a hard time figuring out which one is which)....Justin is on the far right in the picture.

All my physical pains are gone! The left ankle and right heal pain are completely GONE....haven't felt a single twinge of pain in over a week!!! I'm not sure if its because I ditched the blue shoes or if it's because I condensed my running into 4 days..... I don't know...so I'm keeping both changes! I bought another pair of running shoes and I'll slowly start breaking them in next week. Keep your fingers crossed for me the new shoes work!

I'm gonna brave my long run tomorrow with a group of veteran runners (since I missed my TNT group run this morning...we were driving home from Indy). My friend Diane invited me to run with her running group....God help me! I'm only suppose to do 10 tomorrow but I'm gonna try to keep up with these guys and do 12. Not too confident about the whole thing but I really wanted to try running a different route...I really enjoyed the change of pace this past week so I'd like to find some new running paths.

I also wanted to add in this post that we have officially donated our $1,000.00. We split it up among the other 4 TNT runner friends of ours according to what they needed. $375/$200/$50/$375 to reach their $1500 minimum.
http://www.active.com/donate/tntmi/TraciS
http://www.active.com/donate/tntmi/randyandkelly
http://www.active.com/donate/tntmi/knowicke
http://www.active.com/donate/tntmi/tntmiKMalcol

$2,000 raised for Leukemia and Lymphoma Society!!!

What an adrenaline rush!! I hit the $2,000 mark for donations raised for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society....I can't thank my family and friends enough for their incredibly generous support! They are AWESOME!

I went out today with a renewed spirit....albeit a very NERVOUS renewed spirit....this 12 mile mark has been haunting me for weeks...& now I've concurred it!! I now know that I, at the very least, will make it through a 1/2 marathon still standing upright!! I went 12.41 miles in 144 minutes. But that includes 2 bathroom breaks and I stopped at the 1/2 way mark to stretch...probably 3 or 4 minutes. I went out with the idea that I was done killing myself trying to improve my time...last week I went out with a gusto and ran 5 miles straight but then completely fell apart in the 2nd 5 miles....so, I wanted to even it out today. I ran 1 mile walked 1 minute....at one point I ran 2 miles straight because I was feeling really good. I'm getting the hang of the energy replacement packs...and definitely felt it's benefits....I also discovered Power Bars....they're like the perfect food....100% of everything in it...plus lots of protein and carbs.....and ALL 3 of my kids love them....well, they like the peanut butter and vanilla....the chocolate ones are pretty bad!!!! Major bonus as Brendan is usually the food critic that will eat nothing healthy that has any amount of calories in it.

No heart palpitations again! And my ankle didn't start bothering me until the last 2 miles. Did good and felt great!

Going on vacation!

Well, I'll be gone for the next week...leaving after my 12 mile run with my group...pray for me!!!LMAO!! So, I won't be able to update the blog until I return next week. I'm still planning on doing my training while I'm out of town....it'll be an adventure finding new places to run at....I'm excited!! = )

Ya know what I can't wait for?.....I can't wait to go on a beach vacation (next february I hope).....and be one of those people that goes running on the beach just before dawn and gets to watch the sunrise while they run....I always envied those people....corny, I know!

I think I need new shoes!

I really think that the majority of my ankle pain is coming from my blue shoes....I started out by buying 2 pairs of running shoes....& I alternate wearing them each day....as suggested by a book a read. But my ankle always hurts worse after a run with these particular blue shoes. AND my knees ache when I'm done. So today, my ankle was really bothering me for the last 1/2 of my run....and I keep thinking that I need orthotics or arch supports or something because the location of the pain makes it feel like my arch is collapsing or something....so then when I finished my run I was stretching my quads and I look at the bottom of my shoe and notice a big bubble support thingy on the lateral side of the sole (like...between the baby toe and outside of the heal) and it says "lateral arch pod".......YEAY! I know that doesn't sound like something I should be getting excited about but I think this pod thing is the whole source of my pain!! I think I bought the wrong kind of shoe!!! Yeay!!!! yeay for 2 reasons.....1) it's an easy fix (I hope)....and 2) I have a good excuse to go out and by ANOTHER pair of shoes...LMAO!....that's my story & I'm stick'n to it!

Anyway, ran 6 miles this morning....in 74 minutes....still can't seem to get my pace back but I just don't care...it felt good this morning. I had to take 1 walk break at mile 2....1 potty break at about the 4th mile and then had to stop again before the finish to get the darn pebble out of my shoe. The weather was absolutely gorgeous! And for the 3rd run in a row I had a deer cross right in front of me on the path....like maybe 40 feet away. twice at Stoney and once at dodge park! There were all kinds of critters out today! I felt like I was in the middle of a Bambi movie with the deer, rabbits, butterflies, and sunshine!

Quote of the week

QUOTE OF THE WEEK:
“You have to expect things of yourself before you can do them.” -Michael Jordan

Taking a rest day today......Hallelujah!

changing my running schedule

I've decided this past week to change my running schedule from 5 days to 4....the book I'm reading says there are advantages to this for 1st time marathon trainers 1) you decrease your chance of injury by taking more rest days.....but still running the same # of miles each week...I've been having some minor pain in my right heel and my left ankle and I'm worried that it's the beginnings of tendinitis....I've had it before in both my Achilles tendons when I used to dance and I'm paranoid about getting it again because it takes forever to heal properly. So I'm absorbing one of the weekday short runs into the other 3 weekday runs....running one mile extra each day to make up for the extra rest day. 2) it decreases your chances of burning yourself out which I think I may be quickly running into...The last 2 days have been awful runs for me...I feel like I'm going backwards again. I'm so tired and my legs feel like bricks. I'm exhausted but have insomnia! Was actually trying to run with my eyes closed this morning to take a little "nap"....

Yesterday I had to wait till Dan got home to get my run in. So by the time I got started it was after 8pm...did 6 miles in 71 minutes. It was so hot that I decided before even going out that I was going to do slow and easy...ran 1 mile / walked 1 minute. I felt good. My ankle and heal were bothering me for the 1st mile but then they warmed up and felt fine.

Then this morning I went out for 5 miles and finished in 57 minutes...it was the ugliest run (if you wanna call it that) to date.....I was exhausted and I knew it wasn't the smartest thing in the world to be going out for a 2nd run in less than 12 hours....but I didn't have a choice. My legs felt like brick blocks. Nothing felt good about today's run...I KNOW it could be worse and I KNOW I'm complaining right now like I promised I wouldn't .....but.....oh well....sue me!

Just had to share this....if I ever need more inspiration or validation or motivation to continue I will read this daily. I was on runnersworld.com surfing around...and found this discussion forum for people to post stories comments etc....and found this girls post...posted today....with her picture...very sad...I am at this very moment promising to NOT EVER complain about how difficult a run is...and promising to try my hardest to remember that it can always be worse. She posted the following....

"This post is just a self centered, pitying rant. Feel free to skip on by to happier topics. I won't be offended.Hodgkin's Disease is mostly treated with four different drugs. The regimen is called ABVD. The B is Bleomycin, a potentially pulmonary toxic drug. Lucky me. Bleomycin has completely and utterly messed up my right lung. CT scan and x-rays show infiltrate, scarring, and fluid. The only thing good is it is confined to the right side.The oncologist dropped the Bleo weeks ago when I started having breathing problems. But I haven't gotten better.I'd like to say my life and my running right now is all flowers and happy fuzzy bunnies, but the truth is running with cancer has become ugly. To keep the severe pleuritic pain in the right side of my chest under control now requires Vicodin; I have to take two if I want to run. All of my running shirts are dotted with small blood stains ... running will inevitably trigger at least a couple coughing attacks that bring up blood.I'm not really sure why I am still going out and trying to run. I can't really run very well -- I have to take walking breaks or else I won't be able to catch my breath and a coughing attack is more likely. I guess since I've always been a runner and its really all I know how to do, the only way I know to cope with stress, I keep going out the door every morning to try. Or it may be I am living under the illusion that tomorrow will be the magic day I feel better ...My doctor said running wouldn't make things worse. I asked him specifically. But, yes, I am starting to wonder. The only good news I have had is I got off prednisone. It was making me depressed and it wasn't helping so my doctor stopped it.Somehow I have to make it through three more months of chemo. How I am going to do that, I have absolutely no clue. I know I won't make it through if I stop running, so I really have tgo go out there every day, even if I know its a bad day and it will end in dismal failure. I feel like I have to go and try because that is what I do; I am a runner and I desperately want to hang onto my identity as a runner (and, by implication, my old SELF) ... the rest of my world has fallen apart and running and my parents are all I really have left. So I am pressing on because I don't know what else to do. "

I burned 1000 calories today!

Had my TNT long run this morning. It was a toasty one! Did 10 miles in 1 hour 56 minutes.....I ran the 1st 5 with a girl that I had never met until today...Kristina...She pushed me along and the conversation helped pass the time quickly....but then at 5 miles I had to use the restroom...ran off the course to the nature center to use the restroom and the damn restroom was locked....grrrrrrr....lost my running partner for nothing! So then I ran by myself and the rest of the 5 miles was torcher! I took a running goo thingy at 6 miles but by then I think it was too late because by the time I felt any benefit from it...the 10 miles was almost completed. I think I counted 4 or 5 walk breaks in the last 5 miles....2 of them was to use a bathroom (if you want to call it that). ...the 1st one was locked but I eventually found another.... I needed a partner to push me along. So I think I figured out that my pace today was about 11 1/2 minute mile....which translates to....."slow"....and I'm ok with that!.....

No heart palpitations today...cutting back on the caffeine before my runs really helps...plus I'm adding an electrolyte replacement pack to my water during my runs....don't know if it's helping but it certainly can't be hurting. My legs feel pretty good....hamstrings are tight and sore as is my lower back and right heal was hurting after my run (not during)....but everything else feels really good.no knee or ankle pain today...bonus! The scary thing is....next weekend jumps up to 12 miles...omg!.....which is only less then half of the marathon length....I'll have to do next weeks miles x 2 plus some on marathon day.....THAT is scary!

squeezed in an easy 3.5 miles

I probably should have just stayed home but I was feeling guilty for not getting my run in yesterday...tried to substitute it with the elliptical (how the hell do you spell that??!) but it just wasn't the same....so I did about 3 1/2 miles (don't know my time...slow) tonight...I'm sure I'll be sorry in the morning when I'm doing 10 with the group...oh well. I'm all iced up and ready to go!

I'm sorry and sad to say that one of our group of 7 has dropped out due to multiple injuries. Now we're down to 6...I hope we don't lose any more.

elyptical day

My run didn't happen today. My babysitter is out of town and by the time my kids got up it was already too hot to go run on the track (they were up late watching fireworks last night). So I had planned to run when Dan got home but then the sky turned black and began thundering...soooo, I did 50 minutes on the elyptical instead....it's just not the same. So now I'm feeling guilty for not running so I'm thinking maybe I'll squeeze a 5 mile run in tomorrow but then I don't get a day of rest before my "long run" on Saturday....maybe I'll just do the elyptical again....we'll see.

Track running

If you haven't figured it out by now I think I have major obsessive compulsive tendencies...when I get involved in something I enjoy I tend to become all consumed by it. So I've been reading like crazy. Just finished my friends' First Marathon book and have been researching on-line and I went a couple days ago to a book store and bought a few 1st marathon training books. So I'm really learning a lot. Such as, running on the side walk or any concrete surface is horrible for your knees and ankles and legs in general...the book suggests running on an actual track. I've been having a little bit of left ankle and right knee discomfort....not bad....but enough to make me a little concerned that it's the beginning of something. The discomfort doesn't bother me while I'm running it's when I get up after sitting for a while that it hurts. And my legs usually ache in general when I complete a run. So I went to the track yesterday to give it a try. It made a HUGE difference in how my legs felt after. The track surface is actually spongy. Not the most scenic of runs but I can take the kids with me when I go so I don't have to wait to squeeze my runs in at night. And I tried to do some speed interval training...now that I can actually run a respectable distance...my hope was to get my 3 miles in and to take 1 minute of every mile to run a faster pace and then drop back down to my normal pace after the minute. I made it through the first mile and did my one minute and that was it...I just couldn't do it again...so I'll try next time to do 2 intervals...It's a lot harder than it sounds! So I ended up running 3 miles in 30 minutes 27 secs....which is AWESOME for me....my fastest time yet...not too shabby!! I stopped after 2 miles for a potty break...I stopped my watch which I suppose is cheating but I don't care!...I think my biggest hindrance on race day isn't going to be pain or lack of endurance...it's going to be my damn bladder! I need a bladder training program! Or maybe I'll just run with a catheter!

Feel'n Great!

5.16 miles in 56.2 minutes. No walk breaks! no palpitations! (no caffeine!) The first 3 were hard but I kept using my ipod to push me along..."I'll just run till the end of this song"....that song would end and I'd say "ok....till the end of THIS song"...it worked because before I new it I was on mile 5 and my legs felt great...I felt like I could have kept going...I was in the groooooooove!

New Mission Moment and Quote

Forgot to post this weeks "mission statement" and quote.....Got a little teary eyed reading the story that our mentor posted in this weeks email......I'm reminded that this is why I'm doing this...so that no other family has to go through what my mom must have gone through with 2 small kids at home when my Dad died....this is the story she posted....



"Getting up early on a Saturday seems like nothing to me. When I think back to 18 years ago when my first husband was diagnosed with AML (first husband because we lost him 2 years later). When you think about the strength he had every time he had his bone marrow tested, or the time he missed with family while in the hospital, getting up early seems like such a small sacrifice. I am doing Team In Training so that no husband, wife or family has to go through what my daughter and I did all those years ago. So when the going gets tough think of someone who may be going through something sooooo much worse than walking early or when it is cold, or hot, or rainy. Thanks for reminding me of why I have chosen this journey"



the quote of the week....



“If one advances confidently in the direction of his dreams, and endeavors to live the life which he has imagined, he will meet with a success unexpected in common hours.” - Thoreau

Body is still recovering

I was suppose to go yesterday to do 3 or 4 miles but my body was recovering from Saturday's run and our pre - 4th of July party. I was very sore yesterday (still am). I went out this morning for 3 miles to make up for yesterdays missed run. Damn GPS died again in the middle of my run...grrrrrr.....think I'm gonna have to get a smaller wrist watch timer because the one I have is sucking down the batteries...I'll never make it through the entire marathon with this thing! Felt good though...no walk break!...yeah! No heart palpitations (skipped the morning coffee today....waiting for the withdrawal headache...I know it's coming)! Wore a headband on Saturdays run and it worked wonders keeping the sweat out of the eyes...but I realized that the hat cannot be replaced for keeping the sun out of the eyes....so now I'll have a hat, a head band, a gps strapped to my wrist, an ipod strung from my waist band to my ears, a water bottle strapped to my waist, a pouch attached to the water bottle strap for storing car keys, goos, clean ex, and cell phone....may as well attach an antenae to my head and bring along a satelite TV! It's amazing how now that I'm doing this I'm finding people everywhere who are training for marathons. There were 2 other people at my Grandma's 80th birthday party yesterday who are also training for marathons.

9.66!!

Yesterday was a TNT training day out at Stoney. The weather was perfect once again. I did 9.66 miles in 1 hour 51 minutes...I was pretty disappointed in my time but....I had to stop at the nature center to go pee (discovered yesterday that there's nothing worse than trying to run with a full bladder)....and I stopped two more times at the water stations for a quick drink and a quick stretch....my legs were feeling really tight yesterday. And I took one more walk break.

I'm a little concerned about my heart...during the 3rd through 7th mile I was having serious heart palpitations...it's happened before but not for this long...it usually comes a goes quickly. I try to take my pulse and it's very irregular...sometimes beating so fast I can't even count it and then it'll just stop for 2 or 3 seconds before jump starting again. And the whole time I can feel it in my chest. I'm thinking I'll give it one more week....I'm going to try really hard to limit my caffeine intake this week....I'll see how next Saturday goes and if it happens again I'll go see a doc. I'd kinda like to do a long run with a heart monitor on so the doc can see what happens....around mile 3. So....not the best running day....but hey, I ran 9.66 miles! Someone pointed out last night at our party that if my car were to break down at 10 mile I'd be able to run home...LOL!

Me and Traci were discussing last night how great it is that we're doing this with such a great group of friends. I told her how disappointed I'd be right now if I didn't have all of them to discuss this marathon training with. My family is great of course but I can't really talk to them about all this training stuff because they really don't care...I mean, of course they care,....I don't know how to word it but this whole marathon thing is SO exciting to me that I just want to talk about it constantly....my family doesn't want to hear me go on & on about this so if I didn't have my friends to talk to about this then who would I talk to?....We've all been such a great support for each other...helping each other along and keeping each other motivated. It's a wonderful experience.