Running

This has quickly become my favorite activity. Not only do I most enjoy running about six miles on average - my favorite distance, but I really enjoy even longer runs. My body gets into a comfortable pace that seems to keep going even when your head says to sit down. It's really empowering in a lot of ways. Not only is my weight finally under control and at a healthy BMI, I am finally down to a size four, and I am also able to handle a lot of physical activity that I normally wouldn't be able to - it's so great!

The half marathon is rapidly approaching, and Thanskgiving Day will be here before I know it. I had to run without my running partner last weekend, and I will have to do it again this weekend. It is so much harder without Alicia! It's really nice to have someone there with you as you add distance, and 11 miles this Sunday morning will be so much harder without her. As I add distance, I am sure I am going to be showing up more and more with wet hair and no make-up running in five minutes late to the last church service too! Kind of funny, but I refuse to give up my schedule. I just really like doing my long runs on Sunday mornings. It's almost a reverent time for me anyway.

I'm projecting doing the Snicker's Energy Marathon Bar marathon in Albany in March of 2009. I"m pretty excited about it. I'm waiting til I finish the half so I'll know what pace to estimate my final time with, but I'm averaging about a 10 to 10:30 pace right now for my longest runs (10 etc.), so I'm hoping that I'll finish with a 4 hour 30 min pace group or so for the marathon in the spring. We'll see!

Micah and I are also trying to plan our big trip. We always said we would go somewhere big if I got into medical school, and we are definitely still doing that. I'm torn between doing a marathon on the Australia cost and seeing things there, or taking Micah backpacking through Europe for a few weeks. He's never been, and I would love to show him around. I loved my time there. Anybody have any good ideas?