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I'm ready. At least I think I'm ready. On Sunday I'll be running my first half-marathon. For those of you who have no idea what that means, I'll be running thirteen miles with a bunch of other people. Tomorrow I'll head up to Madison, Wisconsin [trying not to silently berate Wisconsin drivers] and join forces with the Grabhers and the Britchers. We were all going to run the half-marathon, but some people didn't get the training in [slackers! Just kidding. Kind of.]. Regardless it will be a lot of fun to run with my friends [they're doing the quarter-marathon] and spend a weekend with them. The marathon festivities coincides with the World's Largest Braaaat fest. So I've been trying to get people to eat as many brats as I run miles. No one has taken me up on it yet. Yet. We will also be taking in a showing of the new Indiana Jones flick.

The race. I'm excited and nervous in a way that I haven't been for a long time. I'm not running a fast race, mostly because I know my limitations, and I know what I can run and what I can't. I'm planning on ten minute miles, finishing in a little over two hours. Part of my limitations is that I've had a sore back for the past two weeks, and have gone really easy on it, which was not in the plans. Looking back on the one hundred and seventy five or so miles that I've run this year so far in training for this, I can tell you what I did wrong, what I should have done, what I can do next time, but I'm trying to concentrate on what is before me. And trying not to think about what comes afterwards - a summer of morning runs with several key changes in my training [which I'm really looking forward to - a little more room for fun]. If you want quick news on the race check my facebook on Sunday, I'll get to it sometime after the race. In the meantime I have to study for a management test - so it goes. you have my love.