11 crappy miles and some love plans

My cold still has the best of me.  I do feel better, but my breathing is still labored for running purposes.  Since breathing clearly is vitally important to a good-great-even so so run, I am not having great or even good runs. 

The marathon is 2.5 weeks away and I am working on testing my mental strength this week.  I still believe I am a much better runner than this week indicates.  I keep telling myself that over and over and over again.

This cold and windy morning in the pitch black I set out to run 11 miles.  Most of them were simply miserable.  I had no desire to run in the wind again, but I had the desire to be finished in 1 hour 45 minutes.  I would normally try to run faster, but not this week.  With three miles to go and my my goal times barely within reach I picked up the pace and squeaked out a 1:44.59.  I am not joking.  That is what my watch read when I hit stop.  It made me chuckle!

It was not quite the start to the day I had hoped for, but I got it done and that is what matters.

The rest of my day was spent getting ready for the big day tomorrow!  Here are a few sneak peaks!

Making Daddy's card with Emma as the creative leader

I wrote little love notes to each kiddo...these are Jonah's

I packed their little bags with a few surprises

and I made our dessert....Rice Krispie hearts

Tomorrow is going to be a fun day of being purposeful about showing my family how much I love them!