5 Months...150 Days, 12 Hours, 11 Minutes, 52 Seconds

I have high hopes for the next five months. Getting so close to my goal weight, I am excited to get there already! In the next five months I have delusions of grandeur that include nutritional greatness, perfect training schedule, extra hours in each day, lots of stretching, a flattering race photo and inevitably running the perfect race...I know better. I will be happy to just finish that damn thing with all limbs in tact and the strength to lift a water bottle.

Nutrition...

The more people I tell about my goals, the more accountable I am for my eating habits. I have learned over the course of the last year and a half that I can keep myself motivated and on track by simply sharing all the information I can about upcoming races. Sometimes I wonder if my family is sick of hearing about it...if so, I'm sorry to say that they can deal! :) I have to keep talking to keep myself moving and pushing towards my goals. If your ears start to bleed I apologize.

Training...

I am starting to think about how exactly I will balance everything once I get closer to the race...personal training, a decent running schedule, work, teaching and still having enough energy to enjoy my husband, my friends and my family. I should probably try to factor some rest and relaxation into that mix as well.

The Perfect Race...

I recently received an email from the photography company from the Pittsburgh Great Race...

Celebrate your special day this season by capturing the moment in a holiday card ready to send to your family and friends.

Attached to this email was a little slice of photographic heaven...Um, Not Really! It was the worst photo quite possibly ever taken of me. About 3/4 of the way through my first 10k, I look like I am about to pass out! Who wants this coming to them in the mail during the holidays and am I supposed to photoshop Jason on a treadmill beside me??

Ever since this email I have been hoping for the perfect race photo in the half marathon. I know this does not exist and the closest thing to it is probably a hundred races away. But still...did they really have to send that photo...they took plenty of others where I was not quite as close to passing out. The first mile photo would be just fine with me!

I might as well share this horrible photo...




Going Beyond the Photo...

Not quite as worried about the race photo as I may seem, I really am more concerned with surpassing all my goals. I have not been able to master the art of being happy with just reaching the goals I set, I have to go above and beyond. If I continue on this path, I wonder if I will ever be satisfied with my performance...

I know one thing, I won't get there eating donuts.