Richmond Marathon This Saturday

Alrighty friends, the time has arrived. The Richmond marathon is this Saturday and yours truly will be lining up at 8 a.m. on Saturday in Wave 1 under bib #915 for what will be my 9th marathon.

For most of my training I've been ambivalent about my goals for this race. Should I go for a PR? Pace a friend? Run for fun? (Ha ha ha -- totally kidding with that last one.) But now that the time is near and the weather appears to be cooperating (38 degrees at the start), I've decided. I'm going for it. Going for a PR. Therefore, anything under 3:29:45 is a win. Here are my goals from best to worst case scenario. 

1. Run a 3:25:00 
2. Boston Qualify - 3:45:00 
3. Run under 4 hours
4. Anything over 4 hours indicates I ran into serious trouble so the goal then just becomes "Don't die." 

I've been training at a 3:20:00 plan and while I've done well, my training has been sporadic with the trip to Italy, the 24-hour Hinson Lake Run, and I was sidelined two weeks ago with a pulled glute/hamstring and missed some runs. I don't think I can run a 3:20 and I'm not even going to try. I'm hoping a 3:25 is within range. My goal is to hold a 7:45 pace while not thinking about holding a 7:45 pace because even saying it aloud sounds damn fast and freaks me out. 

It seems every other runner in Greensboro is running Richmond this year which is AWESOME. Although it's a big race, it's surprising how often you can bump into people on the course. Seeing a familiar face can make you think you're just out for another long run back home, no worries, no pressure. 

As usual, the Sole Sisters will be forming a caravan. Everyone has killed their training plans this season and I'm betting a lot of PR's are going to be broken this weekend by my girls. 

As for me, I'm ready for this race to be over just so I can STOP EATING. You wouldn't believe the quantity of food I've consumed this week. This. Must. End. 

As for all of you, I'm concerned. What will you do when you no longer have my blog posts about my running times, my injuries (both real and imagined) and my whining about how I'm sooooo tired of marathon training to look forward to? 

Lucky for you, I've signed up for Crossfit Sessions. Blogs posts about how sore I am, how I think I hurt my shoulder, and how I'm sooooo tired of lifting heavy things, coming your way soon!

Cheers,

Dena

Smug Marrieds: We're Praying For You (Blair)

Driving to Asheville today, Blair at the wheel. The conversation turns (as it always does) to what he has to put up with, being married to me, and how I suspect people pity him on the sly. 

"Admit it," I said. "People are probably walking up to you going, 'You poor man. Here's a dollar. Why don't you buy yourself a coffee and at least get out of the house for a bit?'"

"Nah," Blair drawled in his North Carolina accent. "You forget we live in the Bible belt, sugah. What they usually say is, "We're praying the Lord calls one of you home, son, so you can be released from your pain." 

Almost threw up on myself, laughing. True story. 

Cheers,

Dena

Dishpan Hands

Our dishwasher has been leaking sporadically for almost 6 months and finally gave up the ghost this last week, spewing suds out from underneath our kitchen cabinets. We ordered a new dishwasher from Home Depot which was to be delivered this past Thursday. Didn't happen. Received a call saying shipment was delayed and the dishwasher would be here this coming Tuesday.

This means we must--gasp!--wash dishes by hand until then. What's a princess to do? Eat out a lot, is my thought. But there's no escaping the early morning coffee mugs, plates for toast, cereal bowls, omelet pans, and this brief lack-of-dishwasher interlude has uncovered the fact that I use an alarming number of spoons. 

We used to wash dishes by hand when I was a kid so I'm no stranger to manual labor (snort), but having gone years and years without sticking my hands in sudsy water, it's no fun going back. 

Or at least, I think it wouldn't be. So far, Blair has beaten me to the sink and taken care of all dishwashing duties. He's handy that way. And wise. He'd rather wash dishes for 5 minutes then listen to me spend an hour gripping about stupid Home Depot, and stupid delivery people, and stupid dirty dishes piling up in the sink...

God help me if our washing machine or clothes dryer ever goes on the fritz. Scrubbing clothes by hand and hanging them out to dry? Sooooo not the life of a pampered princess. ;)

Now--go hug all your appliances and tell them, "Thank you." 

Cheers,

Dena