Saturday: 16 mile run, Discussion About Boston Marathon Qualification, and One Year Bible Update

My pregnancy insomnia worked mightily in my favor this morning, because it hit on the back end.  I was wide awake at 4:30 AM, and I dressed leisurely, brushed my teeth even and made oatmeal and tea before climbing into the car for a somewhat longer drive in to meet with my running group.  My normal straight shot down Hillsboro Road was blocked due to construction this morning, and I had to take a circuitous route.  Again, it is very lucky that my insomnia hit on the back end.

So, at the park, I ended up running about 16 miles.  I started off with the group and ran 11ish miles, then I tacked on 6 more miles on my own.  Overall, I was slowish, but my run was nice.  I feel more confident and comfortable about my marathon, but will continue to gauge my progress and the way my body feels.   Also, it was 25 degrees outside.  So cold.

I think in situations of pregnancy, you have to be prepared to drop the race or the workout should your body warrant it, and I think that you just never know when it will.  Also, I have been thinking a lot about my Boston quandry.  It is not integral to my life on this earth that I run Boston again in the next couple of years, but I enjoyed it so much.  Boston has cracked down. Boston does not allow medical deferments anymore, which means that I cannot write a letter saying that I am pregnant in order to be allowed deferred entry.  Boston qualification is only good for 18 months, meaning that I cannot qualify for Boston at Boston and use that qualifying time two years from my qualifying date.  Next, Boston sold out in nine hours this year.  NINE.  This means that if I qualify for Boston at my marathon qualifying favorite Rocket City Marathon in December, the Boston Marathon will have long filled up as registration opens in October.  SO, I would need to qualify In December 2010 to run the 2012 Boston marathon.  I only need a 3:40 to qualify, and it all seems quite possible.  AND, it seems like the best plan.  BUT, again, I need to listen to my body, and no one no has ever died of not running the Boston marathon.

In the evening, I popped out for a quick dinner for a friend's birthday.  I had fish tacos, and they were not at all bad.

So, I have been reading my one year Bible since last January, and it is going pretty well.  NOW, in August, I need to just fess up that I skipped three full weeks.  For a few weeks following my gross negligence, I tried to double up on the reading and it was overwhelming, so I gave up and just started reading at the proper date.  Now, as soon as we crossed over to the New Testament, it was like a breath of fresh air.  For one thing, the four Gospels generally repeat each other, so most days you read the same story four different times.  The repetition makes it easier to remember exactly what you just read.  Also, the New Testament is a lot more uplifting than the Old Testament.  The Old Testament is heavy on the the slaughtering and the wrath, and the New Testament is obviously much more forgiving.  When I finish the New Testament in December, I may catch up on the three weeks that I missed.

Off to bed!!