Sorry I've been so neglectful of this. Time to catch up, but where to start.
~June was, well, not the greatest month in terms of running. Between bike crashes, weddings (not mine, my friend/former roommate's), graduations, doctor's appointments (again, not mine), and literally being on the road/out of town more than I was home, I didn't run much, and what I did was only OK at best. June's mileage total was 26.8 miles, which is pretty dismal when you compare it to what I did in May.
July, however, wow. July, as much as I generally don't like this month, has been pretty damn amazing in terms of running. I'm already at 48 miles for the month. Among those 48 are my first 8 and 9 mile runs. :) Brief recaps:
8: This was the first time I really realized just how far this half marathon is going to be, and the first time I wished I had someone out there with me. Normally, I'm all about the solo run to clear my head and all, but this time, well... I just wanted someone to talk to. This run also came with a bit of bribery. I dragged my lazy arse out the door, promising myself if I finished I could have Border Grill as a reward/treat. Well, somewhere around mile 5 or 6, my bribe was upped, and I said that I could have Rice Paddy instead. Let me tell you, Cream Cheese Wontons and Ginger Chicken can make a girl do just about anything, and hot damn if they didn't taste incredible! My back really hurt afterward, though, but that passed after about 12 hours.
9: This long run found me in a different location: Houghton, MI, where my boyfriend is currently living. He was along for this adventure, playing the role of bike escort, water boy, Gu carrier, and overall moral and general support staff. Let me tell you, I can't tell you the last time I felt that appreciative of him. Having him there was great, and once I told him to not follow directly behind me, but go on ahead, he was absolutely perfect. He carried his CamelBak, and would run along side me while I drank so I didn't have to stop. The trail was, well, so-so. Part of it was great, but part of it (where there had been disputes with the property owners) was non-existent. I was literally running through people's backyards. I'm not cool with that. This run was followed by a large bottle of Fruit Punch Powerade (strangely, the only "sports drink" that I like), and 3 epic, large, homemade soft tacos. What can I say? Will run for food.
I do have to say this: the half marathon almost wasn't going to happen. I was looking at my finances, and there wasn't exactly an extra $85 just lying around for race registration. Enter Coach Mom. She and my father are giving me the entry fee as a birthday present (yeah, that unfortunate event is coming up next week, the big 2-5. Ugh.) I was so happy and grateful, I cried. It's also given me an additional inspiration for training: I don't want my parents to have made a bad investment in me. I will make them proud.
OK, it's time to get ready for work. I promise, this will be updated better now.
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