Ahh!

Sorry I couldn't come up with a more clever title to express the way I am feeling about the marathon these days. Race day is closing in really fast. I cannot believe it's almost September!!! This is seriously scary. Training is still going pretty well, this past week was probably my worst training week though and I really just need to shake it off. It's so easy to slip into a negative mentality especially when you are out there running alone a lot of the time with no one to push you forward but yourself. My cassette player is a bit of a nuisance on 12 mile runs in addition to my water bottle, so it's just me and the sound of my heavy breathing. I try to keep reminding myself about what I am doing and why I am doing it and it does help, but sometimes I do give in and start walking or decide not to go as far as I had originally planned. This never feels good in the end though.

This morning I went out to do at least an 8 mile run and I managed to do that, which is good. This coming weekend the training team is doing a 14 mile run and I will be joining them because I don't want to do it alone. I usually can't make it out with them on Saturdays because of my dogwalking, but I gotta work it out because I need that group motivation or peer pressure or whatever you wanna call it! I am not giving up! I will run 26 miles!!!!!!!!!

♥ Dolla Dolla Billz ♥

So despite the fact that I took a few too many days off from training and then went out today with spirits low and had a really sad little jaunt full of walking breaks, things really are looking great. The most recent batch of donations I sent in just processed and we (yes, YOU!) raised $7000!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I just can't believe this. Never in my wildest dreams did I think this would happen. The love and support I have received from friends and family so far is blowing me away. On top of that, there's the support from people I have never met. People that knew my mom many years ago and didn't even know she had been sick have sent me words of encouragement and unspeakably generous donations. I will be thanking every one individually in the coming weeks, but I just want to say it right now because I am so ridiculously full of gratitude: THANK YOU SO SO SO MUCH.

Tarheel running

I have been staying in Chapel Hill the last week taking care of my pal's dog Nona (see last post for pics). I am so so so in love with this pup and so is everyone that meets her. Even though she chews on stuff and can be a little naughty tryin' to sneak on the bed while her mom is away, she is just so cute it is impossible to be mad at her. Oh god just thinking about how cute she is...eeetz keeeeling me! And I digress...

The point is I have been running around Carrboro and Chapel Hill this week which has been pretty nice for a change of scenery. It was crazy hot Monday and Tuesday so I had a couple pitiful jaunts (no seriously, it was sad), but I picked it up last night when the weather was perfect with a nice 8-miler.

Oh did I mention my favorite boyfriend (I have a few) has finally moved down here? Yay.

A whine and a tune

I actually got up this morning after just two snooze hits and was out running by 6:30am. As if that weren't a feat enough in itself, I also managed to run 12 miles and tackle some hills*. That said, now for my whine: wahwahwahwahwah my knees. Okay thanks. I mean they are fine just mad at me for torturing them without their consent. I try to make it up to my lil knobbies by wrapping them in these. Buying wrap-around ice pack things was a great investment. Using bags of ice that melt and won't stay put is a real hassle and therefore I ended up never icing my knees, which I think is a bad move.

Today I heard this dance jam in the car on WXYC Chapel Hill. I really liked it and called to ask about it so now I am sharing it with you guys. It's a French gal called Yelle. I guess some of her tunes are pretty famous or she is getting famous since one song had like 10 million views and she apparently remixed a Katy Perry song as per her request. The song I am posting didn't seem to get as much love and there isn't even a real video. I am putting a snippet of the tail end which is probably the best part. Hit the link for the full track beneath the vid.



YELLE - Tristesse/Joie**

*It has come to my attention that the marathon I am running is very hill-y.
**I did not put this track on the internet, it was already there. It's just a link, take it or leave it.

It's gonna be a scorcher!

So the next few days are supposed to be really hot around here. I gotta get a loooooooooong run in early tomorrow morning before it heats up. Since it was a pretty mild day today it should be fine. Monday, however, is going to be brutal as I have a bunch of mid-day walks and it's predicted to reach the high 90s. A suggested method of staying cool:

Slurpies!

Otherwise, you might end up like this:

Dazed and confused.

*That fine lady loungin' in the pool is Nona, le pooch de DJ Don Knotts!!!

run. rain. DANCE!!!

Last night I did a ten mile run in the rain. As soon as I got out of the shower and dressed I skipped over to see my grrrl Alex aka DJ Don Knotts spin some tunes. It was a Lady DJ night and I had my besties, Tricia and Katie, there with me to back it up, or whatnot. At one point in the evening I started dancing in circles around Tricia and Oliver not realizing I was doing a weird run dance. Always training!

I am posting what is like my favoritestestest jam right now. No one played it last night that I know of, but it's always in my head and guess what????? HERE IT IS BABY!!! LOOKOUT!!!!!!!!!!



xoxoxoxxxxx