I have something big to tell you all. 

I have been surprisingly quiet about this. For many reasons.

• Fear of failure
• Fear of not following through
• Fear of not being able to do it

I have been running for almost 3 years now. During that time I have done three half marathons, two 20ks, a couple 10Ks, several 5Ks and one 10 miler.

MANY people have asked, "When are you doing a full marathon?" Usually I would just smile politely and say that I didn't think a full was ever in my future. Only during one of the half marathons did I feel good as I finished.

Well, never say never. Right?

I am training for a full marathon. And, I might be an idiot.

Source

Or, I could just be a glutton for punishment ...

Last year I began running with See-Us Run Des Moines, which is a running group out of Roosevelt High School in Des Moines. The group pairs an adult mentor runner with a student and together you train for a full marathon. Last year I ran with the group, but I was adamant that it was not the year for a full. My first year of teaching is hard enough, I knew throwing a full marathon into the mix would not be a good idea. I was right.

Now, a year later .... What is my excuse? Oh, yeah, I don't have one!! For me, running a full marathon is something that I want to say I did. It is a bucket list thing. I want to be able to say I trained my body to do it, and I did it. I do not care about time at all, and if it takes me six hours, then oh well!

 

Source

This is purely to say I did it. In October, if all goes well, my bucket list will look like: run a full marathon :)

What is on your bucket list that scares you? Do you have any marathon tips for me?

Thoughts on Thursday

Hello! How has your week been? I am so glad it is a short week and today is the last day of the work week!

I know, I know. You're thinking, "you're a teacher! And it's summer! What do you care?"

Well, I actually AM working. Each morning I work at my friends daycare until noon, and two days a week I go straight from my friends daycare to tutor one of my mom's co-workers son who is going into the 5th grade. Those two things take up half my day!

Also, lately I have been seeing the chiropractor 3 times a week and the massage therapist once a week. Once all that is said and done, I do not have AS MUCH free time during the day. All other time is really filled up wedding planning and attempting to decorate my house.

Anyway. Here are some thoughts rolling through my head these days. In good ol' bullet fashion.

• We are headed up to northern Iowa for the 4th of July. Not only do I we have a ton to do, but we both love that area of Iowa. It's Bill's neck of the woods (he is from Spencer, IA) but I adore Okoboji and would go up there every weekend if it wasn't 3 hours away!
• Saturday I get to take home my dress! It will be done! I cannot wait to have it back in my possession! If I didn't need help getting it on, I think I would put it on everyday! LOL. 
• I hope this is normal of a woman about to get married, but I cannot stop stalking every married person's wedding album on Facebook! Please tell me you also did this before your wedding day. Monday we met with our photographer (I adore him, he's so awesome!) and the photos are one of THE most important aspects of the wedding for me. I want classic, yet unique photos! I don't want to miss out any shot! 
• I have been debating on wearing my hair up or down, and ultimately I decided on down. I almost always hate the way I look with my hair up, so I did not want to chance it! Here's a trial run of the curls... I'm hoping to add a few clip in extensions and then it will be half up with the veil underneath the half up portion. 

Ok, enough wedding talk.

• Yesterday the weather was unseasonably cold. For July 2nd, it being in the 60s is just WEIRD. Our weather has been nuts! Personally, I was hoping for a hot summer, but I'm not sure we're going to get that this year! 
• Our house is slowly coming together. Our goal is to do something small daily. Weather that be bringing in a box from the garage or hanging something on the wall. This week I painted the inside of a display case in our living room, brought in a few boxes and hung a large clock in our living room. I am shockingly fine with the disarray in our home right now, but I am sure once the wedding is over and I can focus on the house, I will have it done in no time. 
• Working out with an unstructured schedule is haaaaaarrrrd. I am still running with my group so that gives me some structure, but other than that ... I'm struggling. I am also REALLY struggling to get in the strength training. I hardly did any in preparation for the wedding and I am worried I will regret it come July 19th!! I've been trying to do push-ups daily and even that is hard for me. :-/ 
• Ragbrai training is going great!! I am so excited and cannot get enough of my bike these days!!!
  
  
  

What are you plans for the 4th??