Pillow Talk

The other night while Devin and I were talking before bed we discovered something interesting.

Men keep track of the days between making love.  (That wasn't the discovery.  I'm pretty sure it's a solid fact in most relationships.)  Generally, women might keep track, but the accuracy or importance of the number is no where near as serious to her as to him.

So, he was insisting it had been a whole 5 days.  I told him I was sure it was less than that.  We figured out that our last time had been on Wednesday night.

Then he proceeded to count, "Thursday, Friday, Saturday, Sunday, Monday.  Five days" he said.

I recounted, "Thursday, Friday, Saturday, Sunday and it's now Monday so four days."

We were in agreement that the last time had been Wednesday and that the current day was Monday, but we  still did not agree on the number of days between.  We count differently.

He explained, "Wednesday to Thursday is one, Thursday to Friday is two, Friday to Saturday is three, Saturday to Sunday is four, Sunday to Monday is five."

I figured we shouldn't count the "Sunday to Monday" because well, we were gonna do it, so that day isn't factored in.  He disagreed and said it was five FULL days.  I still see it as four.

This was a discovery to me because now I know 5 days to him means 4 days to me, 4 days to him means 3 days to me, etc.  This knowledge is very helpful for me when I'm trying to understand what the heck he's thinking when we disagree on these statistics!

So, do you say it was 4 or 5 days?

TV Antenna HELP!

Does anyone have experience with new TV antennas?  We hardly ever have time for TV and don't want to pay $50 a month for it so we were thinking about getting an antenna.

I called the FFC (Federal Communications Commission) and Charlotte was very helpful to explain some things to me.  (1-888-225-5322)  She is going to mail us a magazine that shows how to hook it all up.

The lady at the FCC said you can buy an antenna at like Target or Best Buy and the outdoor kind is best.  Then, you need a converter box for older televisions, but not the new ones that can receive a digital signal, or something like that.

We want to record our shows and the lady said we could get a TiVo for that.  Then it would be like $12 a month for the TiVo service, but that would be the only monthly charge.  And, with a TiVo, we could stream videos from our Netflix account online to watch on our TV.

So, the upfront cost can be something like this...
antenna - about $100
converter box per tv (if you have an older tv) - about $50
(If you want DVR - $250)

The initial DVR cost is a lot.  There are websites that claim to have free monthly DVR service, but I don't know if they are good or reliable.

We know it's the cheapest way to go monthly and we might wanna do it so please let me know if you know anything about which brands of equipment to get or any useful information to help us decide!

All of this started because the speakers on our TV went out (we got it for $35 at the Mesa Auction so it we got our money out of it for sure).  So, we got a new TV.  Well, without a HD receiver for our Dish, the picture is not good at all, pretty much worse than the old TV.  So, we called up Dish and wanted a new HD DVR.  Well, they wouldn't give it to us unless we upgraded our plan, which we don't want to do because it would go up to $57 a month.  If we wanted to buy their DVR it would be $500!  Yeah, right!  So, we started looking into the antenna option.  Please let us know any suggestions!

Too Soon

A few days ago I tried running to our mailbox and my hips felt like they felt at about mile 24 of the marathon!  It was too soon for me to start running again.  It was a little bummed, but knew I needed to let my muscles/joints/tendons/bones/organs recover and not push myself before my body was ready.

But... yesterday when I tested again, I felt great!  I ran to the mailbox and was thrilled that my aches and pains were healed!  Now I can't wait to actually "go for a run!"

Mike,
My mailbox is across the street and down like 5 houses--not very far at all.  Does that make it better or worse?

Simple Way to Lose Weight

Food Network star, Alton Brown, followed these lists and lost 50 pounds!  He didn't just eat these foods and nothing else.  He just made sure to eat each food listed the number of times for the list they are on.  Does that make sense?  Like, he made sure he only ate red meat once a week, but he had carrots daily.

I can't imagine following a diet with lots of rules where you can only eat a few things.  That's why I think this is so great!  Oh, and with Alton's extensive food knowledge, I trust that it's healthy.  So, I wanted to post these lists he gave...

First, he said always eat breakfast!  He has a smoothie everyday.  Here's what he does:
24 ounces total, 4 ounces each:
juice
milk
banana
strawberries
peaches-frozen
blueberries-frozen

Put together the night before and keep in fridge.  In the morning, blend it together and enjoy!

All the ingredients have special reasons why he uses those specific fruits.  He didn't just randomly pick any variety of fruits.

So, here are the lists he presented...Eat the following:

Daily:
fruits
whole grains
leafy greens
nuts - almonds especially, 1 to 2 ounces
carrots

3 times a week:
fish
yogurt
broccoli
sweet potato
avocado

Weekly:
red meat
pasta
dessert

Never:
fast food
soda pop
processed meals
canned soups
"diet" anything

He didn't mention anything about poultry or pork which I'm interested to see how often he recommends it, or dairy either.

He also didn't mention what kind of exercise program he did.  I'm sure he did something to workout because he did lose a substantial amount of weight.  I can't imagine it was all just from following these guidelines.  Unless, maybe before he always ate huge portions of totally horrible foods.  But, I wouldn't think so.

Henry's Habits

Some of Henry's recent habits are good.  Like...

After finishing his apple Henry went into the kitchen and threw his bowl into the sink all by himself!

Some of Henry's recent habits are not so good.  Like...

A new favorite for Henry...dumping his water on his plate when he's done eating.

He has some cute habits too.  Like just being cute!

After bath time

Kitchen towel on his head again

Just after waking up

Shopping Spree

There are a few stores I would LOVE to go crazy in and buy everything!  They are...

Costco... First, I gotta ask, what don't they have?  I'd stock up on everything our family uses and needs everyday.  Plus, they always have other fun stuff that I would like to have.

Ikea... Redecorating would be a DREAM!

Victoria Secret... How fun would that be?!

3 Little Words

i love you

I love those words.

They make me feel warm inside when I hear them.  I feel warm when I say them to someone.

Sometimes, when I get a message on my phone and the caller ends the message by saying, "I love you" I save the message just so I can hear that again.  (I just got a message from my Grandpa and saved it for that reason.)  It makes my heart happy.  :)

CA Relay

I've been thinking about the race I posted about earlier.  Though I would absolutely LOVE to do it and I think it would be tons of fun, I realized all the expenses associated with traveling are not exactly in the budget right now.  Dang.

Marathon Day

I bet anyone who reads my blog is thinking something like, "Geez, all Ruthann has posted about lately is her marathon/running/training/the gym and now that the race actually happened, she hasn't even posted about it!"  (Like anyone really cares, but I like to believe people do.)

So if anyone is still interested, here is how race day went down...

Here we are right before the race started.  It was SO cold!  In my marathon training book, it suggested wearing a big plastic trash bag to stay warm before the race.  That way, it's easy to toss and not be sad about lost clothing.  I told Devin I wanted to do it and he laughed at me and acted like it was a dumb idea that no one would do...so I didn't do it.  There were lots of people using the trash bag!  Next time, I'm totally doing it.  Oh, except there will NOT be a next time! I don't ever want to run another marathon in my life.  I'll definitely do some more halves, but running 26.2 miles at once is just madness!

Here I am at mile 12.

And here I am rounding the corner to head to the finish line...

Al...most...there...........

Yea!!!  I'm done!

Two of the three of my favorite boys in the whole world.

Here we are after the race in our complimentary plastic blankets.  They were so warm!  When your body stops running after it has been going for so long, it gets cold really quickly so these blankets were very helpful.

My mom, dad, Devin, and me

Here are my boys in the shirts I decorated for them to wear (and Jaxon in his Spiderman mask).

They say "My Mom Runs 26.2" and my number 6745.

Here's Devin in the shirt he made.  It says "I think my wife's secret identity is Wonder Woman.  Here's the proof:  she's hot, sexy, nice legs, oh yeah, and 26.2 miles."  He's very creative, huh?  :)

My sister-in-law, Elisha's sign said, "You go girl!" with a pair of cute Nike shoes she drew.

My sister-in-law, Reina's sign said, "6945 Ruthann is gonna stay alive!"

My mother-in-law's sign said, "Ruthann's got the jive 6945"

So there are the pictures from the day.  Now, the story...

About the last 2 weeks of training I started getting really nervous.  I was mostly nervous about not performing as well as I wanted to (not getting a fast enough time).  Then, a few days before the race I realized that it didn't matter what my time was and that by making a big deal about my time I was sucking the fun out of it.  So, I told myself the race was just another run and I really started to look forward to it.  By the day before the race I wasn't nervous at all.  I was pretty calm when I thought about it.  My heart didn't start pounding when I would think about the race anymore.  That was a good sign.

Race day eve we spent the night at Devin's parents so we wouldn't have to wake up so early to drive to get there in time.  That was a great idea and I'm very glad we did it.  We went to the expo that night to pick up our numbers.  There were some bumper stickers and shirts that said, "If found on the ground, please drag across the finish line" and "My sport is your sport's punishment."  I liked those.  Oh, and "Toenails are overrated" and "I know I run like a girl.  Try to keep up."  I like the toenail one because during this training I lost a total of 4 toenails, one of them twice.  (All little toes.  My big toes are fine.)

On race day, my mom and I got to the start line with some time to spare.  We stretched, but mostly just huddled by the light generator to keep warm.  We got excited as the time got closer and we filed into our corrals.

As we started, we ran behind a girl whose heels never touched the ground.  Can you imagine running like that?  On your toes the whole time?  Try it.  I did and almost fell.  I don't know how she does it and I wonder if she made it the whole way...

We also ran behind a girl with a shirt that said, "In memory of my mother."  I almost started bawling because I felt to lucky to be running the race with my mom.  My mom is amazing!

At about mile 2 we stopped for a potty break.  We stopped at some porta potties that didn't have a line to make it as quick as possible.  About mile 3 we shed our pants (we had shorts underneath).  The volunteers were gathering the dropped clothing and donating it to the homeless.  I'm glad our "lost" clothes weren't lost after all.

At about mile 4 I started running on my own.  I enjoy running with my mom, but my pace is a little faster so I went ahead.

I started looking for Devin with the kids at about mile 10.  He said he's be somewhere around the half way point.  I finally saw him, along with Jaxon, Henry, my dad, and my mother-in-law at mile 12.  I gave them my gloves and coat.  Seeing them really gave me a boost!

About a mile later, my hands got really cold and were cold for a while.  I wished I hadn't given up my gloves so soon.

I thought about a lot of things while running.  Mostly, my husband and kids.  They are so great and I just love them so much.  (Running endorphins make me a little over-the-top-thankful sometimes.  If you ever feel down, start an exercise program.  It'll do great things for your overall happiness!)  I liked seeing all the spectators.  They were all so nice and smiling and cheering for everyone.  I pretended their that said, "Go Mom" were for me.  And I loved the sign that said, "Go everyone!"  How nice is that?  They are cheering everyone on!

Miles 15-18 were rough.  I stopped again for a potty break at about mile 18 and felt a little better.  I felt good for a while until about mile 22.  Then, I wanted to die!  From that point on until the end, I literally kept telling myself over and over, "Just keep going. Just keep going.  Just keep going."  One thing that kept me going was the fact that I hadn't walked yet so I didn't want to break that streak now.

There were times during the race when I knew I had slowed my pace down, but I just couldn't speed up at that moment.  I feel like I really did the best I could and gave it my all.  I have never been so exhausted at the end of a run.

I started by the 4:30 pacer, but caught up and passed the 4:00 pacer.  Before I started the race I thought a realistic goal was about 4:30.  I thought 4:00 would be great, but probably impossible.  Then, when I caught the 4:00 pacer, I decided that was my goal and I needed to make sure I was ahead of him at all times.  A few times he got close, but I was not going to let him pass, so I sped up.  I'm glad I pushed myself to do something I didn't think I could do.  Because you know what?  I DID IT!

Overall, I loved this experience and don't regret it for a second.  The training and race were a lot of fun.  All of it required sacrifice--from me and from Devin and my boys.  I am thankful for their support.  And my fabulous Oma who watched my boys for most of my long Saturday runs.

Though it was an incredible experience, I do not want to do it again!  Once was enough for me.  I will do more half marathons, but I am happy with my performance and do not feel like I need to do it again...though I was only 17 minutes past the time to qualify for Boston...

AND...Special thanks for all the thoughtful texts, calls, e-mails, and treats from all my sweet friends!  It all meant a lot! :)

Oh, and I saw Debbie Downer before the race started and wished her good luck.  Devin saw her at the Y and she said she ran a 4:15.

hehe

Bib 6745

Chip Time 3:57:10

Overall 1777

Women 524

Division 58

Age Grade 57.1%

"Age Graded" results are calculated using tables developed by the World Association of Veteran Athletes.  

100% - Approximate World-Record Level

Over 90% - World Class

Over 80% - National Class

Over 70% - Regional Class

Over 60% - Local Class

Ice Cream Year Round

One reason I could never live anywhere but Arizona is that anywhere else it's too cold to have ice cream at night year round.  And I have it every night.  Year round.

I love ice cream.  Mmmm...rocky road is my favorite!

Bribery and Frosty

Here's how to make your kids behave while at the mall so you can catch the after-Christmas sales...

Bribe them with fishie crackers and candy.

Or, you could tell him Frosty the Snowman will eat him if he's not a good little boy.

No, we didn't really tell him that.  What kind of mom do you think I am?  He was just scared for some reason.

Jaxon loved Frosty though:)

3:57

I finished!  My time was 3 hours, 57 minutes.

And I'm glad it's over.

Pictures and details to come later today.

Devin and I both have today off and are going to enjoy some family time together.  It's rare these days.

Runner's Commandments

I saw this on another blog and like it, so here it is...

The 53 Runner’s Commandments
by Joe Kelly

1. Don’t be a whiner. Nobody likes a whiner, not even other whiners.
2. Walking out the door is often the toughest part of a run.
3. Don’t make running your life. Make it part of your life.
4. During group training runs, don’t let anyone run alone.
5. Keep promises, especially ones made to yourself.
6. When doing group runs, start on time no matter who’s missing.
7. The faster you are the less you should talk about your times.
8. Keep a quarter in your pocket. One day you’ll need to call for a ride.
9. Don’t compare yourself to other runners.
10. All runners are equal, some are just faster than others.
11. Keep in mind that the later in the day it gets, the more likely it is that you won’t run.
12. For a change of pace, get driven out and then run back.
13. If it was easy, everybody would be a runner.
14. When standing in starting lines, remind yourself how fortunate you are to be  there.
15. Getting out of shape is much easier than getting into shape.
16. A bad day of running still beats a good day at work.
17. Talk like a runner.  *Singlets*are worn on warm days. *Tank tops* are worn to the beach.
18. Don’t talk about your running injuries. People don’t want to hear about your sore knee or black toe.
19. Don’t always run alone.
20. Don’t always run with people.
21. Approach running as if the quality of your life depended on it.
22. No matter how slow you run it is still faster than someone sitting on a couch.
23. Keep in mind that the harder you run during training, the luckier you’ll get during racing.
24. Races aren’t just for those who can run fast.
25. There are no shortcuts to running excellence.
26. The best runs sometimes come on days when you didn’t feel like running.
27. Be modest after a race, especially if you have reason to brag.
28. If you say, *Let;s run this race together* then you must stay with that person no matter how slow.
29. Think twice before agreeing to run with someone during a race.
30. There is nothing boring about running. There are, however, boring people who run.
31. Look at hills as opportunities to pass people.
32. Distance running is like cod liver oil. At first it makes you feel awful, then it makes you feel better.
33. Never throw away the instructions to your running watch.
34. Don’t try to outrun dogs.
35. Don’t trust runners who show up at races claiming to be tired, out of share, or not feeling well.
36. Don’t wait for perfect weather. If you do, you won’t run very often.
37. When tempted to stop being a runner, make a list of the reasons you started.
38. Never run alongside very old or very young racers. They get all of the applause.
39. Without goals, training has no purpose.
40. During training runs, let the slowest runner in the group set the pace.
41. The first year in a new age group offers the best opportunity for trophies.
42. Go for broke, but be prepared to be broken.
43. Spend more time running on the roads than sitting on the couch.
44. Make progress in your training, but progress at your own rate.
45. *Winning* means different things to different people.
46. Unless you make your living as a runner, don’t take running too seriously.
47. Runners who never fail are runners who never try anything great.
48. Never tell a runner that he or she doesn’t look good in tights.
49. Never confuse the Ben-Gay tube with the toothpaste tube.
50. Never apologize for doing the best you can.
51. Preventing running injuries is easier than curing them.
52. Running is simple. Don’t make it complicated.
53. Running is always enjoyable. Sometimes, though, the joy doesn’t come until the end of the run.

Last Run

Last night was my last run before the marathon.  It was full of emotions--relief (though the biggest challenge is yet to come), excitement, frustration, joy, sadness, and gratitude.

Relief for knowing the workouts are over and it's just the race left.
Excitement for the race!  It's so close!
Frustration because I am unsure if I should wear my knee brace.  I haven't run with it before, but my knee hurts on my long runs so I think I might need it.
Joy because I have come so far and done so much to get here.
Sadness because the journey is almost over.
Gratitude for my healthy body and and strong mind that got me here.

I enjoyed it.

PS...My workout ended on a high note when a guy said I look like I'm 18.  Fabulous:)

Runners - Anyone Interested?

Hi fellow runners!

I found a race on May 1-2 in California called The Relay and really want to do it.

12 people, 200 miles, 36 cities

36 legs, 3 - 8.9 miles each

Anyone interested in being on a team with me?  We have to register the team by March 1st.

We need 2 vans and $960 to register a team, plus $600/team ($50/runner) to donate to Organs R Us.  (Total $130 runner)

I have to run it by Devin, but I found it and got so excited I had to see if anyone is even interested.  I wanted to do Ragnar, but we didn't quite get enough people.  I am more interested in The Relay because it's in California and the course sounds so beautiful.  Also, because it is in May, instead of February, I think the weather will be better.  (Better means more like what I'm used to.)

Let me know!!!

Pushpin

I try not to get into too many shows because I think most of the time, television is a waste of time.  However, I do have a few shows I'm in love with.  I'm a big Office fan, but I think I'm starting to like Parks and Recreation more.  I know, I know, blasphemy to some of you, I'm sure, but don't hate me.

One of my favorite quotes/convos was with Leslie and Ron:

Leslie, "There's  pushpin in your face."

Ron, "Leave it in."

If you saw it, you'd know.  It was classic!

Nickname Pressure

Devin has some crazy nicknames for me.  Some are sweet, funny, cute, but mostly, he just has a lot of them.  I, on the other hand, have none for him.  It's kinda been a joke because I have plenty for our kids:  Jaxon, Jax or Stookie; Henry, Wen Wen or Wennie.  For some reason, I just haven't found one for Devin.

Now that we have been married for so long {5 year--long, I know} and I only call him by his name, there is all this built up pressure to come up with something good.  He says it should come naturally, but after 5 years it still hasn't come!  I've tried to say, what if I call you this or that, but he says I shouldn't "make an announcement" about it because that ruins it.  Pressure!  He says there's no pressure, but there totally is.

Fresh off our honeymoon he called me Freak in the Sheets in front of his parents and I wanted to DIE!  Now he pulls that stuff all the time and it's not a big deal, but then, wow.  I couldn't have been more embarrassed!

So, last night we were talking about it and he was listing all the things he calls me:  Sweets, Ruthieannie, Sweetums, McSweets, Sexy Malexie.

I laughed and asked him how to spell that last one and he said, "I don't even know how to spell real words."

True, very true.  He's known for being kind of a terrible speller, but that's fine because he teaches math anyway!

The other day when Jaxon wrote his name on the fridge with letter magnets Devin said in kindergarden he just put a D on his paper because he didn't know how to spell his name.  He claims he could do addition and subtraction though.

But, I don't know how to spell it either.  It's made up anyway, and it rhymes with sexy, so just sound it out.

Just Dance/Run

My recent favorite discovery while running is the fun thing to do of changing the words in the songs to match with running.

Lady Gaga's Just Dance is now called Just Run.

I discovered this while finishing my first 14 miler and was so tired.  The song came on when I had about a mile left and I started singing it out loud to get myself to finish strong.  It worked!

Little Things

Sometimes I notice the little things--like how this one section was like twice the size of the rest.

Yep, that is totally random and doesn't matter.  But, some little things aren't random at all and do matter.  

Like when I'm reading Henry his bedtime stories and he turns his head toward me, puts his hand on my cheek, and turns my head towards him because he wants me to kiss his forehead.

Like when Jaxon says, "Mommy, hold me" and climbs up on my lap for a hug and kiss.

Like when Devin looks into my eyes and says, "I love you, Sweets."

I am thankful for those things.

Next Week

This time next week I'll be running my little heart out!!!

And hopefully not freezing my little buns off!

Husbands' 2010 Goals

I've got a few goals for the new year, which I won't post here, but one of them I will be able to check off on January 17th when I cross the finish line!!!

So, I'm not all about "resolutions" where people think of things they'd like to do, but hardly have the intention of doing.  I really set goals and work on them.  I think it's good to constantly try to do better and improve yourself through out the year, but every once in a while take time to go over those things and the new year is a good time for me to do that.  

After thinking about what I really wanted to accomplish this year, I wrote down my goals and I asked Devin if he wanted to write down a few things for himself to work on for the year.  This is how it went down...

Me, "Here's a paper if you wanna write some goals down for the year."

Devin, "K" and he proceeds to name things for his list starting with..."make love everyday."

Me, laughing, "I'm serious.  Put some things you really want to do this year."

Devin, "I know.  You don't think I'm serious?"

I should have known, of course he was serious!

Chocolate Pudding

Lately, Henry has been refusing to let me feed him.  He insists on doing it himself.  I know he has to learn how, but he always makes a huge mess!

This afternoon he brought me the pudding with a smile on his face and signed please by rubbing his tummy/chest.  I told him okay and he followed me to the kitchen.  I tried feeding him, but once again, he wanted to do it.  I asked him if it was yummy and he smiled and nodded yes.  Since he wouldn't let me touch him, rather than just sitting there watching him eat, I ran to take the laundry out of the dryer.  When I came back, this is what I found...

He wanted me to help him!  Sometimes he does this when there is only a little bit left and he can't get it himself.  That's when he hands me the spoon...

"Sheesh!"  (cheese!)

Notice the pudding all over his left sleeve.  This is from wiping his mouth.  And the napkin sitting inches away.

What a cute kid!

Simple Things

Each week when we do family home evening, I am reminded of how simple things can mean SO much.

One of the things I love about the gospel is how simple it is.  It is the most marvelous truth, yet can be explained to a 3 year old and he understands it.

The gospel makes me happy.  More than happy--it brings me total joy and everyday I am thankful I have that knowledge.

Thank You, Debbie Downer

The other day at the gym I was almost done with my workout when a lady came up and stood on the treadmill next to me as if she wanted to talk to me.  I took out my headphones and paused the machine.  She introduced herself and I can't remember her name, but we'll call her Debbie.  I introduced myself and our conversation went something like this...

Debbie, "I see you running a lot.  Are you training for anything?"

Me, "Yep, I am running in the PF Chang Marathon."

Debbie, "I've run it 3 times.  This will be my 4th."

Me, "Really, wow.  How is it?  I guess you probably liked it if you keep doing it."

Debbie, "It's pretty good.  One year it was freezing cold and I didn't do so well.  But I don't expect it to be like that this year."

At this point I am thinking, "This girl seems nice... offering some knowledge from her experiences."

Debbie, "Have you done a marathon before?"

Me, "No.  I've done a half, but this is my first full marathon."

Debbie, "How do you think you'll do?  Do you have a goal?"

Me, "Well, if I base it on my half..."

Debbie, "Which you can't."

Me, "...then somewhere around 4 hours.  I'd like to keep my pace at about 10 minutes a mile."

Debbie, "Which you won't."

Me, "Oh, yeah.  Well, I know I'll be slower than my half for sure, but I think 10 minute miles is reasonable for me."

Debbie, "Well, unless you are some amazing superwoman runner, you won't."  Yep, that's what she said.

Now I'm thinking something like, "Wow.  Okay.  You can go away now.  And, by the way, I am an amazing superwoman runner!!!"

Me, "Okay...hmmm..."

Debbie, "Yeah, a marathon is nothing like a half marathon.  You'll feel like you're gonna die!  It's pretty close though, huh?  I have a 20 miler this weekend and then we taper down."

Me, "It is coming fast.  Mine is just 18 this week and another 18 next week, then I taper.  Well, good luck on your training and maybe I'll see you at the race."

Debbie, "Yeah, nice to meet you.  Bye!"

Now, I'm all for hearing advise from people who are experienced, but geez... Talk about a downer!  She could have tactfully said something like, "That's a serious goal for a first time marathoner, but remember, finishing is the ultimate goal, right?"  So she could get across the message that she thinks I might not really make my goal.  But, to flat out say I can't and won't, I'd say is pretty presumptuous.

Who is she to tell me what I can or can't do?!  And you know what?  I have to believe that I am amazing or else I wouldn't be able to finish!  This race is serious and unless I make my mind believe I can do it, I physically will not be able to.

I know I do not really know what a marathon is like, and I am expecting it to kick my butt, and I probably will feel like I am going to die by the end, but I feel like I am prepared.  At the time I ran the half, (13.1 miles) the most I had run by that point was 11.  Now I have run 19 and have followed the training schedule so I believe I will finish and meet my goal.  I think--and maybe I'm wrong, but I don't think so--that a half marathon is a little bit like a full marathon.  I see these equations in my head:

training for half marathon=successful half marathon
training for full marathon=successful full marathon

I mean, I've trained, mentally and physically for this race.  Even if I'm not ready, I have to believe I am or I have lost before I started.

I have experienced the amazing things your physical body can do when your mind believes it can.  This race will be another to add to the list.

Maybe afterwards I'll say that she was right and I was crazy for thinking I could make it around 4 hours.

But, probably not.