3 quick ones today to prep for tomorrow...

Tomorrow is my first day with TNT. I feel like a kid starting a new school year. Hopefully, I can handle it with the same grace that Emily did. She prepped - got a good night's sleep, laid out her clothes, packed what she needed and got up on time. She thought about what would be good and what would be hard and accepted it. She got up on time and her entry into 4th grade was excellent.

So, lessons learned - lay out clothes - DO NOT FORGET SNEAKERS :-)
Pack whatever I will need
Go to bed early
Get up on time
and Trust it will all work out

The part I am having a hard time with is thinking about what will be good and what will be hard. I am feeling shy and hoping to meet someone. I will admit that my mentor not believing 19 min/mile is my pace has hung over me. It is...Time and Time again, I end up there or slower. So, I think that is my biggest fear - they will say, "You are too slow and cannot be helped." Should I admit that I checked and the PF Chang marathon that same weekend has a more friendly time limit? 4 hours for a half. I have done that before. I did 3:57 or something. And I am in much better shape now.

OK, I will stop making myself nuts and trust it.

Today was a quick 3 miles, but I truly can't stand walking anywhere except the park now. All those people and cars just plain ole annoy me. I think they add a lot of stress and time to the day. And it was HUMID again. I hate that.

Random thoughts...

Addicted...That is the word that I keep using about walking and races. I think I am addicted. I spend a good part of my day thinking about when and where and for how long I will do my next walk, what equipment I need, what races I should do, what my time will be, etc. I have to constantly remind myself that I do have a life outside of this marathon.

Bridges...I have decided to walk all of the major bridges that connect Manhattan to the rest of the world. I have done the Williamsburg Bridge and the Brooklyn Bridge. I still want to do the Manhattan, George Washington and the 59th Street/Queensborough. I think the 59th Street/Queensborough has become this ominous thing to me since several people have mentioned to me that they found it one of the toughest parts of the marathon. First of all, it is quite an incline, second of all, it is desolate, 3rd of all, it is far enough in that you are exhausted. So, I want to do a couple of rehearsals on it.


Shoes...I am very happy with my running shoes (new balance 766), but it is time to get another pair. I am torn. They do not make mine anymore, but I can probably find them online. Should I go get fitted at a running store? Am I a runner? I keep thinking I am, but I am a walker, will they scoff at me?


Training...I must improve my time. It is suddenly hitting me that I will be finishing in the dark, and I would like it not to be past Emily's bed time...lol. I originally had the goal of finishing in 7.5 - 8 hours. I have now decided anything under 9 would be good and 8.5 would be awesome. I am not sure how or why I slowed down so much, but I have, so now I just need to adjust my thinking.

Disney...Should I do it or not? I feel so torn. I really wanted to do the Disney half. In fact, it was training for that half that had me decide to train for the More and the rest is history.
The pros - It would be fun, it would be a foray into TNT, it is a good cause - Leukemia and Lymphoma, it will be cold here and it will force me to take on my time and pace in a new way, I could honor barbara.
The cons - It means more fundraising, the fundraising for it will start before I have even done NYC, I want to go back to Disney with Emily, but she might be a distraction, I do not have anyone to watch Emily while I am there (if she is with me or not), if Emily comes she will have to miss some school.
I suppose I am leaning towards going and finding someone to come with me to watch Emily.

These are the random thoughts of the day.