Okay, the running has been going well since I started again. Saturday's long run ended up being two miles longer than intended ... long story, as anything would be whenever you 'accidentally' run two extra miles. But I got through it. Tonight was a four mile run. I'm really noticing how to use my arms when I start to get tired. Tomorrow is a 6, but I'm sure I'll just do five in my attempt to not do too much too soon. Man, that's hard. Then Thursday the four again. Then the endurance run on Saturday - I can't remember without going downstairs and looking at the schedule what the length is this week but mine will be different as my coach is drawing up a different schedule for me. But it's a schedule that will get me caught up eventually. And right now, the knee feels great.

At the pace I ran tonight - if I didn't get any faster at all and/or was not able to increase my running v. walking intervals, I'd still finish in just over five hours. So long as I finish, I'm more than happy. And as long as I finish within 6.5, I'll get an official finish time, whatever that means. ; ) Pretty sure I'll be well aware of my own time but okay. Probably entails something that I don't know about yet.

After the marathon, Nike offers free massages. If that isn't motivation to get to the finish line.

I have to start experimenting with snacks that will work for me during the run. There are all kinds of odd things to try. On Saturday, someone told me that the Sports Beans were like Jelly Bellies. I'm pretty sure my whole face lit up - I LOVE Jelly Bellies. But I'll have to figure out which works best for me. Some people swear by the Goo, but that seems a little icky to me. ; )

Anna is having some good days right now. She's been eating a lot for her and she's learned to be quite a schemer when it comes to getting exactly what she wants to eat - recently conning a babysitter into getting her Taco Bell. ; ) Girl after my own heart. Everything is bittersweet and future plans are always shadowed just a little with the question of how Anna will be doing or if she will still be here. But her Mom manages for the most part to concentrate on the good times when they have them right now and from that, we can all gain perspective.