It's time to bring the focus back to me. I have allowed the stress of the past few weeks tough decisions to overshadow my goals. Any decisions we make as a family should contribute to my goals not take away from them. I did that to myself. I stopped making myself important.

Here's what I am going to do to get back on track: give up soda (again), run in the mornings, actually drink water, and lose this last 20 pounds. I started this morning with a 4 mile run and half mile walk with the dogs. I will not stop for my 44 oz this morning and I will not go to the soda vending machine. These may seem like little things but these are addictions. I need to become addicted to running again. I need to become addicted to myself! I need to withdraw from my other addictions.

I have done it before and I can do it again.

A half marathon for $20 can't be beat. It was very small, my cousin told be the smallest marathon in the U.S. This year there were about 50 preregistered for the half and 50 for the full. My aunt was doing the 5k. Since it started at 5:30 and was 2 hours away we went up the night before. Even though there wasn't a prerace pickup Sunday, the RD met us and gave us our numbers and shirts. We drove the course twice. Once with the race map and then once with directions from the RD. We decided on a spot my aunt could park so I could trade out my water. After we thought we had the course figured out, we headed to the hotel and to eat.

This morning we woke up to cool temps but thankfully no wind. We headed out in the dark to start the race. I had planned on running 4/1 but my garmin didn't cooperate. I started getting worried because it hadn't beeped but couldn't see well enough in the dark to know what was going on. I decided to run as far as a I could and then when I had to walk I would try to fix the garmin. I made it 2 miles which happened to be a major turn on to the highway. With my headlamp and a smooth surface I finally felt comfortable enough to fiddle with the watch. I got it going a little after 2 miles which meant it was pretty much good for nothing but intervals and mental math.

I was having serious stomach issues and so was another guy near me. He had gone into the bushes several times and got to the port-a-pot before me. I ran on cause they told us there would be another one at 6 miles. When I met up with my aunt at 5 miles, I grabbed some kleenex, traded waters, and trudged on. I was constantly looking for somewhere suitable for a bathroom. At the 6.5 turnaround, I asked what happened to the 6 mile port-a-pot. It was moved to mile 3. Ugh. I made it back to about 7 miles and used a tree I had seen earlier. It was far enough down the ditch and weedy enough to be out of the way. I prayed for 3 things: no rattlesnakes, no dogs, and the ability to squat. After I squatted, I added the ability to stand up to the prayer. I felt much better after that.

The course was pretty much a solo event. There was one manned water station at the turn around. Every 2 miles there was a case of water with an ice bag on top. The sloshing of my water was annoying to me so I ended up dumping my water and bending over for water once. I had some self doubt at mile 10 and really tried to play the poor little ole me card but there was no one to listen and no one who cared so I had no choice but to keep going. After mile 11, I felt okay again and picked my head up to start watching for the 5kers. I meet up with them at mile 12.5 or so. My aunt and I passed each other with a quick word and I headed to the finish. I got a great turtle for finishing. I bettered my last half by 18 minutes. I ended up 7th in my age group. Officially results will be mailed.

My aunt bettered her time by 3 minutes. Each race is not chip timed. It took me about 3 minutes to cross the start and it took her at least 5. We waited for door prizes but didn't win. Then we headed to the breakfast buffet.

We had a great time with lots of laughing. I am pretty sore but I think the 2 hour drive has a lot to do with that. I told my aunt racing was like childbirth and we would soon forget the bad parts of tyis run and be ready to race again. My pictures include a view from the side of the road which is how it looked from miles 2 to 10, a view back in to town from the 6.55 turnaround, the ugliest race shirt ever, and my turtle.

Repeating the same but expecting different results.

I slept in with the promise of cooler temps on the horizon. I wanted to get 3-4 miles in today since my long run will be the half on Monday. DD was up so here is the insanity part.

"DD, would you like to go run with me?"
"Can I take my bike?"
"No, it's called running for a reason."
"Can we run to McDs?"

Hmmm, I can go the long way around the park and get two miles in before we get there and then get 1-2 miles in depending on how we go home.

"Sure, we can go to McDs but promise you won't whine, cry,or complain."
"Of course, I promise."

Dumb, dumb, dumb. First thing she says, "Mom, we are going the wrong way. McDs is the other direction." And it didn't get better from there.

We have some mountain lions running around town. So far 8 have been spotted. We see a huge cat running towards us and we both freak out. Then we smell a skunk but never saw it. Then DD starts with the crying and whining saying I can just leave her there to die and be eaten by the mountain lions. Please, she could walk faster then I can run.

I try to distract her with questions, math problems, animals, etc. Finally she starts examining the pockets of my handheld water pack. When she comes across a small deal of body glide, she is suddenly chaffed and has to stop to apply some. Finally after 1.5 miles she realizes I am not quitting and she won't get food if she doesn't come along. She makes a comeback at McD until she realizes we have to run home.

Both of us got what we wanted though. I got my run in extra points for dealing with DD. She got breakfast. Neither of us got eaten by the mountain lions.

I also got to wear my other Run Pretty Far shirt. It is great. Here are some pictures of today's events.