New Mile Stones all around.....

I had planned to write a nice big juicy post today....

but I have run out of steam.

I wanted to give a quick shout out to my running mates.

I think just about all of us broke personal running records today.

We have created new mile stones for our selves.

I hit my 18 mile goal......

3:03 hours,

2365 calories burned!

10:11 average pace.

I will do my last long training run with my 

sister Amy in Utah in two weeks - a 20 miler.

I am pretty nervous about how that will pan out in the 

freezing snow and ice.

Should be an interesting journey.

As I was running today I was feeling very grateful for my 

little group of running friends.

But more than that I was so dang proud of them.

They are inspiring to me.

At the tail end of our run,

after our other friends had dropped off at their homes 

T and I were hobbling on.

T was not going to be deterred on her goal today.

Each time we came together we couldn't help but laugh

at our pain and likely pathetic appearance to others.

(Drivers probably think we are on mile 2 or something....

what do they know?!!)

It is not uncommon for me to tear up when I see other runners

while I am driving in the car.

I tear up because I am happy and miserable 

at the same time for them.  

There is no way to know at what point they are in 

during their current run, 

or in their running career in general.  

Who is to say they are not digging incredibly 

deep at the moment.

Tina's hips were on fire.

I could feel my muscles wanting badly to seize up and

be through.

Why would pain be humorous?

I guess it is either that or cry.

Poor T still had more running to do after I broke off...

Come on, you got this!!

Finish this bad boy!

We talked about a great idea that we might do for the marathon.

We thought it would be cool to voice record some messages 

to ourselves to intermix into our music to play, 

and hopefully motivate us throughout the run when we need it most.

It was Tina's idea.

I said I might have my family record some messages for me also.

Wouldn't that be fun to listen to on the run??

HB - start thinking now.... I want a good one from you Miss!

For my children I would probably lay a few ground rules:

Absolutely no screaming or super annoying sounds.

This is to HELP mommy.

Keep that in mind.

Tip:

Be present in the mile you are in.

Don't worry about mile 18.

Words of Wisdom from Alice in Wonderland -

"Begin at the beginning and go on till you come to the end:

then stop."