A 10-miler Down Memory Lane and a Blessed Union of Soul Mates

Well, the taper has officially begun! Eighteen days and counting now….  I realized I mistakenly reported the race was 2 weeks away last week, when it is in fact, 3 weeks from now. Must have been that insert-induced IT pain clouding my brain!

I am happy to report I ran 10 miles with my brother-in-law this past Saturday up in the Bay Area at a 10:30 min/mile pace (half-marathon pace + 1:30 min/mile) with absolutely zero pain during or after the run. I used my older Asics Kayano 15’s with the RRS inserts. We ran with running buddy/good friend of Chris’s, Jeff, who I have run with a few times before. The path/trail we ran on is the same trail I used to ride my bike on as a teenager and into my early 20’s. I never in a million years would have guessed that 20-25 years later I would be running on it, much less preparing for a marathon!

You knew I'd post this pic, right bro? :-)

Once we got off the path and onto the road, I felt like Jeff was taking me on a tour of my youth. In addition to running on this old pal of a trail, we ran through areas my friends and I used to cruise and hang out in, the site of the first car accident I was in, the mall where I spent so many weekends in (and where I took Driver’s Ed at Sears), the YMCA where I took swimming lessons at as a very young kid and joined the gym in high school, and finally, the community center where we held our Junior Prom. Whoa. That might have been one of the most trippy yet enjoyable runs I’ve been on. So much history and so many memories.  I must also mention here that the hubby ran 15 miles as his last long run going into the taper for the Santa Barbara Half Marathon. After some challenges he faced over the course of this year, it is the farthest he has run since the DW marathon back in January 2010. Go baby go!

Me and hubby John

Congratulations to my beautiful cousin Monica who married her best friend and soul mate up in the Sacramento area Saturday night after 11 years together. Both decided to wait for marriage until after graduating from undergrad and law school. Aside from a gorgeous venue (floral arrangements all done by another family members), the event itself was added a very special piece of family history, not just due to the union of these lovebirds, but also because my Uncle Ron became an ordained minister and was the officiant of the ceremony. I believe I can speak on behalf of our family and the groom’s family in saying Thank You for an amazing night. It was an honor to be present for the beginning of your new adventure together in this wonderful life.

The Happy Couple, Matt and Monica

Lil' sis Jill, me and Monica

Me with Uncle "Rev" Ron

Fun with costumes and a photo booth!

In other good news, for whatever reason, as I was driving home from work last Wednesday, I was suddenly overcome with this very warm and comforting feeling that the marathon was going to go very well for me! For a moment there I thought I might be glowing. I don’t believe in coincidences or random occurrences, but rather that all things happen for a reason at the exact time that they happen. I don’t know where it came from or how it came to happen at that moment, but I am hanging onto it.

As far as training goes this week, I have my taper schedule in place, but will need to be a bit flexible as I am also on call for jury duty.  This civil service crap isn’t going to derail my training plan.

Happy Monday – and here’s looking forward to a great week.  Now I can say it is truly 3 Saturdays to go until race day. Bring it!