Where do I go from here?

So much has happened since my last post that I don't know where to begin. First off, I made my original goal of breaking 2 hours in July. (Whoop Whoop!) It was a downhill race but I finished it in under 1:53 so I will take it! I haven't been running that much since I got back to TN. It just seems that somehow something always seems to get in the way. Here I have friends who want to hang out with me, a family that wants to see me, and things I want/need to do(for example, working 2 jobs 11a.m.-11p.m. almost every day). I didn't have all of the distractions in Charleston, therefore I ran more(because I didn't have anything better to do). Oh, and have I mentioned how hot it has been?! That, in addition, to my adverse reaction to getting up before the sun rises when it is still cool, has also put a kink in my running plans.

I feel good when I go run now. I don't get nervous like I used to. I just went and ran 11 miles yesterday. Not once did I think, "I might not finish this", even though I should have. I hadn't ran over 10 miles at once in 4 weeks. I was sore that night, but that is normal.

I have signed up for the Marine Corps Marathon in DC, as most of you know. More than once this summer the thought has crossed my mind that I won't do it and I will just sell my bib number. Why? Well, as if the reasons above aren't enough, my running friends usually do long runs on Sundays. In Charleston, I would have been fine with this but since being back I have found myself in love with a church here. I hate to miss it. Therefore if I want to do a long run I usually must do it alone on Saturdays. I am fine with this until I make it up to my 20 mile runs...then I would really like to have someone with me. Just. In. Case. You never know what can happen.

So that's where I am now. I have decided to start putting more effort into my training on the assumption that I do decide to go to DC and run my 26.2. I have to say though, my friends Jenna Booher and Jamie Williams just completed an IRONMAN! If that isn't inspiration and motivation, I don't know what is. I have so much respect for these ladies when, at this point, I am intimidated by training for just a marathon, when that is only 1/3 of what they just did!