PF Chang's Half-Marathon

"Don't waste life in doubts and fears;

spend yourself on the work before you,

well assured that the right performance of this hour's duties

will be the best preparation for the hours and ages that will follow it."

-Ralph Waldo Emerson

The PF Chang's Half-Marathon event was one of the most fun things I have done in a long time. Yes, it was loud- Yes, it was long- Yes, I wound up with 3 blisters and ached for days afterwards. But it was SO SO SO worth it! I already want to re-register to do it all over again in 2010! I finished walking ~14 miles through Phoenix, Tempe, and Scottsdale in about 4.5 hours. Because my co-workers all are runners, I was the only walker in our group. I found a sweet lady named Jane to walk with. Jane also happens to be 7 months pregnant! We weren't really able to talk a whole lot while walking, but Jane is from CA and works with "special" young adults, helping them learn how to budget finances and spend their money in real-life adult situations. The fact that we both finished in 4.5 hours really wasn't too bad for a beginner and a pregnant lady! There were still hundreds of walkers behind us... I had a great weekend with my co-workers, and like I said, I can't wait for 2010's event!!

Since I've returned, I've been working really hard on a few goals: to establish time for ME each day (that isn't tv), to increase my amount of exercise, prioritize tasks at work, use my work hours more efficiently, eat better, and sincerely make an effort to drink more water.

Now: a few photos...

Team Big Park & Co: Mike, Jessie, Matt, Diane, Heidi, Alex, myself, and Jackie

Heidi, her daughter Alex, and Jackie's daughter Jessie - just before their corral of runners took off! (The shadow on Heidi's arm is me.)

Marching through downtown Phoenix - the temperature that morning was cool, but the sun was shining brightly and our winterized bodies soaked up the sun! At least, mine did...

Myself & Jane, just after crossing the finish line. We walked 13.5 miles in 4.5 hours!!

Team Big Park & Company - exhausted but all of us felt so accomplished! WE DID IT!!

In other, much-smaller, and somewhat significant news, I've decided to re-subscribe to Match.com once again. (I did for a few months last year) Lonliness is a facet of my life that I would like to become braver about seeking change and confidence with. I figure this is a safe method & I can do this from the comfort of my own home (and pajamas!)... We'll see what happens! Maybe I will keep you posted... maybe I won't! ;-)