6 MORE DAYS!!!!

OMG! Can you believe that the race is 6 DAYS AWAY?!?!?!

Running with the boys

On maintenance runs, I normally don't run more than a mile (mile and a half tops) and it's usually in my own neighborhood. Last night, I ran 5 miles through Golden Gate Park with Jon and Jeff. They completely smoked me, but they were also not run/walking like I was. You know, my run for 3 minutes and walk for 2 minutes dealio that I do during training. It was a pretty good run. It felt different running through the park at night, plus it was a little scary at times since the homeless start coming out. Also, it definitely makes a difference having people that you could talk to along the way. For most of the run, I was by myself and had no one to really talk to. Normally, I'm chatting up with my team, which makes the time fly by. However, I was with Jon for a little bit as it was getting darker. When we finished, we hung out by the Dutch Windmill for a little bit. I'm by the Windmill every Saturday for the past 6 months and I've never taken a picture of it.

Until now......

Christine Clark - The BEST Pace Group

Just a quick shout out to my Pace Group....YOU ALL ROCK!

Back Row (L-R): Mary, Kim - Full Marathoner, Shawn
Front Row (L-R): Mutheu, ~*~Run Mel Run~*~, Erica

We've only got 2 more runs together. It's been an absolute pleasure and I'm glad to have met all of you.
Good luck on Race Day! Even though we're not running the same course, I'll be thinking of you.

18 holes?!

NO! This isn't golf! I have 18 more days left until.....

14 MILES!!!!

"A picture paints a thousand words."

As you know, this past Saturday was my long-awaited 14 mile run. I decided to take my camera along for the ride, or this case, run. I'll let the pictures tell most of the story.

Robin Williams' House (Approximately Mile 2.5)

The Palace of Fine Art (Mile 6)
I'm such a tourist!

Marina Green (Mile 7 ~ HALFWAY THERE!!!!)

Recognize this? It's the school in Princess Diaries.

View from the bottom of the Vallejo and Divisidero hill

Just walked this hill from the bottom (Vallejo and Divisidero)

The Turtle Family at Spreckles Lake
Notice the little baby one on the head?

14 MILES!!!!!!!!!

I SURVIVED!!!!

Eddie, Shawn, Me, and Sonny at the Finish Line
Like my sexy shin brace on my right leg? It was my life saver!

It hurts so good.

I got back home from a maintenance run about 20 minutes ago. I did a lot more hills than what I normally do and boy, was it awesome. Hills are always killer any way that you look at it, but I did plowed through them. It was all in all a good run with excellent weather, except for the car that was following me for a little bit.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

So, a few weeks ago, I bought a new pair of shoes because my other ones were pretty worn out and dirty from all of the running that I've done since February. I ended up buying the same pair of shoes since I know that they're good, plus I got 'em for $30 less than what I originally paid. Jon decided to try to clean my original pair. Now, can you tell which ones are my new pair?

5 + 6 = 14? Huh?

No, my math's not off. Well, maybe sometimes it is, but 5 + 6 = 14 means that I ran a 5 mile run 2 weeks ago and 6 miles today to prepare me for my 14 mile Celebration Run next weekend. This will be the longest run thus far and it's 0.9 miles longer than what I'll be running on the 3rd of August. The East Bay, South Bay and San Francisco training sites will run together for the first time. This is also the time when I will receive my AIDS Marathon medallion. Woo-hoo!

After next week, it only leaves 2 more 8 mile runs before the big day! Crazy! In the coming weeks, I will be sending out race information in case anyone would like to come out and cheer me on. I'll need every piece of encouragement I can get.

14 MILES! Can you believe it?

What's even crazier is that I'm contemplating running another half marathon in October...the 2008 San Jose Rock 'n Roll Half Marathon. Anyone care to join me?

Well, I'm off to rest up so that I have enough spunk to see Mr. Stevie Wonder at Shoreline. Enjoy the rest of your 3-day weekend!

Love and hugs,
Run Mel Run

It's been awhile, hasn't it?!

Greetings!

I am pleased, excited and anxious to announce that today, July 3, 2008 marks exactly

***30 DAYS***

until my big race, August 3, 2008 on the streets of San Francisco!

Even though I have reached my fundraising goal, donations will still be graciously accepted. To donate, you may visit my donor page: http://www.aidsmarathon.com/participant.asp?runner=SF-1141&Year=2008&EventCode=SF08H

Thank you to all of my donors!!

Until next time...