This Sunday is the marathon; I am so excited I can barely contain myself but it is a very odd mix of emotions.

• Naturally, running 26.2 miles is not easy so I feel some dread.
• There is a crowd cheering you on the whole way so I feel encouraged.
• It’s a goal I always wanted to achieve so I am very proud.
• It’s the big unknown so I am apprehensive.
• I have a sinking feeling my support team will fall apart so I am panicked.
• Finally, I am glad that it’s almost over because I am tired.

I'm back. It's been a long crazy fall already, punctuated with trips to Florida post Charley pre Francis. Trip to Houston. Quick trip to Ft. Leonard Wood Missouri. Saturdays spent running for hours and hours. Sundays spent recovering from Saturday by laying on the couch and watching football all day.

We never should have made so many plans for October.

This weekend I run 20 miles and family in town.
Next weekend is G's Bachelorette party in Vegas
The following weekend is G's shower
The next weekend is the marathon.

I'm tired just typing that stuff!!!

I hoped to spend November resting but I have a trip to see Connie's new baby (www.merrittrice.com) and Rob's mom is comming to visit.

Maybe I can rest in December.

I am tired of running. It used to be fun to get out there and run for a while but now that I am forced to do it .... it's just time consuming. Yesterday, I got in early so I could leave early because I had to do a 10 mile run. I wound up coming home in the dark after only 8 miles. There simply isn't enough time for marathon training. I'm looking forward to getting it over with.

Last weekend we got on field for the Raiders game in Houston. It was one of those moments that will stay with you until you are senile. When I'm in the nursing home, out of the blue, I will mention the time that #85 Gabriel waved to me, and then go back to my bowl of banana pudding. There is no way to describe just how huge those players are in person. When they ran on the field to do drills, the offensive line came right at us. I felt butterflies in my tummy and my heart was pounding, I was scared excited.

I have been trying to teach Zippy how to run with me, we have been doing 2 mile runs. I hope that our little runs will wear him out a little bit and keep him from getting bored during the day. He tried to read a book last week and must have been frustrated by the big words so he ripped it to shreds. I suppose dogs don't know they can't read until they try. So why did he destroy the pretty red pillow that lives on the couch? Was it taunting him? Was he pretending to be a bull and the red infuriated him?