Best birthday ever! Ok, I guess my best birthday was the actual day I was born, and any birthday where you're still alive and healthy enough to celebrate (and run a 10 mile race) is a good one. But this was definitely the best in recent memory, thanks to good friends :) A big thank you to everyone who came out to enjoy Mexican food and sketchy bars or who called to wish me a happy birthday!

Does bocce ball count as cross training?

Chryssi lands in a little over 21 hours! :)

This weekend is beginning to fill up very, very quickly. With any luck it will be a good birthday. I tend to be disappointed with my birthdays. I suppose that's the problem with a holiday birthday. There's an upside-- I never have to work on my birthday (and this year I get paid not to work!). But there's also a downside-- the day is just not about me. I've always had to contend with friends going out of town, busy with family functions, etc. I remember going to three parties on my birthday one year, but not a single one of the parties was for me, and in fact most people had no idea it was my birthday. Last year was definitely the worst though-- I was at a wedding on my birthday. The reception was certainly not designed to celebrate me, and I was seated at a table of my high school friends, who all had spouses/significant others with them. I was alone. Not that I mind being alone, but they kept bringing it up, asking me when I was going to settle down. And I had too long a drive home to be able to drink heavily!

A far cry from the days growing up when my parents would tell me the fireworks and bbqs and parades were all for me!

Ok, since Kim posted her training program (which, btw, I heartily endorse), I thought I would show you all the madness that is now my life. Note especially weeks 8, 6, and 4. Nothing like running 50 miles in one week.

I broke down yesterday and sent mass email to a whole bunch of my SB friends. I really wasn't going to do the group email thing, but there were SO MANY of them that I hadn't spoken to in 7+ months, and the thought of writing 20 different emails that all said the same thing seemed daunting and also pointless. So now the burden is on them! If they respond, great (and maybe I can hit them up in the future to support my Run for Research). If not, a few less people I have to keep in touch with. If I'd realized what a relief it would be to send the email, I would've done it a while ago. Though, to be fair, I was waiting in part to have a steady job, etc to report. Maybe I'll be inspired to find old high school/college friends and send them a version of the email. Don't want to go overboard though. I dislike having too many friends :)

I had a dream about my mom last night. In my dream she was on a spiritual quest. I remember telling her it made no sense to me that she would study Wicca and physics to understand Catholicism. That led to a revelation of sorts. I need to ruminate a bit before I write it out.

Incidentally, it is my mother's birthday. Gift ideas? Keep in mind tomorrow is my parents' anniversary, so I should really send two gifts. I would just go home to celebrate with them, but dammit, this weekend is my birthday, and I want to celebrate here! :)