Manatee Mentors 2014--CLOSED (begging & bribes MAY work) (Page 87)

Thinking of your sis! As one who has dealt with this personally and watched friends and family go through it, I know it's very tough.

Maybe you can get her into running, too? 

Running perhaps saved my life. 

I'm back, btw. And alive. It was a great trip but I am exhausted. Marathon training + 10-14 hours on my feet makes me quite tired. I did a little write-up in my blog if anyone is interested in new music.

We're glad you're back safe and sound and that you had a good time. We got a bit nervous when we heard about the car that crashed in to the pedestrian crowd

Eeeks. I know. We had been in that area not too much earlier! Scary stuff. Don't drink and drive. 

Alright. I just have to share a slight dilemma. I think I have already made a decision but I would like to run it past people who are smarter than I.

There are two races and I have to pick just one. The options are the White Center 5K and the Spring Fling 5K

White Center: this weekend.

Pros: Small race a few blocks from my house.  I won this thing overall (men and women) last year so it's kind of a fun idea to defend my title. I already paid for it.

Cons: no competition to push me, bad timing in my marathon training (would miss a key M workout. Not that  race doesn't provide any stimulus but it's a little less specific)

Spring Fling: following weekend

Pros: VERY competitive. I have the opportunity to qualify for both 5K and 10K (with a 5K time) for Track and Field Club nationals. Only a few miles from my house. My club will pay my entry. Fits better with marathon training schedule.

Cons: It's on the track instead of road so, a little less marathon specific. I will likely get DFL. I don't run with a hell of a lot of ego and I MUCH prefer to run with stiff competition but a DFL right before an A race might be mentally tough? I'm not sure. It's the morning of my good friends wedding (which I am in) so it will be a mad dash from the track to get my hair did. 

Thank you all for your thoughts and prayers. My younger sis suffers from, in no particular order, depression, lupus, arthritis and is mentally and emotionally challenged as well. Every morning starts with a cocktail of meds. I am amazed at times that she is still with us. Whenever I ever start to think about how tough my life may be, well, I am easily reminded that my life is a walk in the park compared to others I know. 

Salty, I would go with White Center, but flip your con into a pro. Not many others to race gives you a perfect opportunity to work on your race. No other distractions, just you and the course. And a happy feeling at the end that you did what you needed to do to keep on pace for your final goal.

And enjoy the wedding!

I am certainly not smarter than you... but... my vote is White Center. You don't know who will show up. Maybe a dude will try for your title?! Spring Fling would be good insofar as it fits in to your training but rushing around the morning of an important wedding is no bueno. AND DFL, even against crazy competition is no bueno. AND 5k on a track?! That's right... no bueno.

Happy Birthday Monica:

I may go here on Friday to celebrate!!!!

Ooooooh! Hello to all the new manatee avis. I think they should be known as manavies.

Looks like good racing last weekend. I need to read some RRs

Happy Belated Bday, Melanie!

Happy On Time Bday, Monica!

Kirsten, stop jumping onto cars  Glad you're okay.

Chris, prayers for your sis.

Kate, what would Yanti have done if your bib read "Kate G*%$k0"?  hehehe

Pedal Opinion: I like my Forte Team pedals with Look Keos.  At my level I need some room for error and a larger platform gives me that. Also, I read that Forte has a little more float than the average and that many beginners/people with knee issues prefer to use them. I seem to do well with them.

In SAHM news...it's T's Spring Break, and I'm at the Little League complex for two hours every morning while he has baseball camp. Friends from Kansas are in the area, so we may be meeting up for dinner tonight. Chevy Avalanche is waiting for us to pick it up in SoCal sometime this week. All of this equals a very messed up routine which I had just gotten back into.

Cruel. Just cruel.

From the latest emails I received from both my nephew and brother it looks like my mother's time is very limited......I may be traveling up again this week anticipating her to pass by the end of next week.....At a loss to say anything else.  Just needed to say it here cause it's a safe place ....

cancer sucks

Prayers for you and yours Judi. So sorry for your challenges.

Depression sucks!  Prayers on the way.  

.  So sorry, Judi.  My thoughts and prayers are with you and your family.  Hugs.

Happy Birthday Monica!

Salty, that is a dilemma.  I think I agree, the DFL might not be the best thing for your psyche.  Go defend your title

Cancer does suck!  I'm very sorry you and your family are going through this.  You are all in my thoughts and prayers.

I was going to suggest the trying to qualify for nationals option, but then I had to leave for a massage and forgot

What is your intention with racing either of these at all? Do you need to have a race in here, or more really want to do one? Not sure if either one sounds that great. I'd look more towards how well it fit into the training schedule. If it's not perfect, is it still close enough if you thought of it as just another workout. If something didn't fit very well, it wouldn't get any consideration. On the faster race, would it still be with a few people, or likely off the back the entire time? Do you trust yourself to shut it down if keeping up becomes too much part-way through?