Goodbye 2014...

 There are just a few hours left of 2014, so what better time to be nostalgic about the year that has passed then now? No big plans for the evening, except a few extra teenagers, a little take out, and a midnight run planned for later.

There has been a lot of baking this year, but how about everything else?

There has been some running...

1. Chicago Marathon, definitely a bucket list race, I got stung by a bee, and I'd like to do it again and run stronger.
2. OKC Marathon, the last time I ever run the full in OKC, it was brutal.
3. National Running Day, that day that I didn't actually do any running.
4. Route 66 half marathon, the horrible half that turned into an upper respiratory infection and pneumonia
5. Sooner State Games trail run, the day I seriously thought I was going to be last.
6. Strides of March half marathon, my second fasted half ever, and the reason I decided to run the full at OKC. What was I thinking?
7. Birthday running, I love birthday running with the girls.
8. Walking the Turkey Day 5k, got Josh out of bed to walk that with me.
9. Scorcher half marathon, the wettest race I've ever ran, and my last race in the 35-39 age group.

 And some other fun stuff...

1. My 40th birthday, when my aunts and great aunt flew in to surprise us.
2. Joshs's 41st birthday and one of those times he did a shot of tequila on his birthday.
3. Rochelle's birthday celebrating at Blu.
4. The girls' birthday at the Melting Pot in Dallas
5. Food basket deliveries for the Elks Lodge before Christmas.
6. The tailgate after the crappy OU game Josh and I went to.
7. The Daddy Daughter dance, only one year left...
8. Spring break in Branson, or that time we tried to go to Silver Dollar City and it freaking snowed.
9. Birthday celebrating for Sarah and Rochelle.

By the numbers:

• 1,047 total miles
• 7 100+ mile months
• 2 marathons
• 3 half marathons

I think I ran my most miles in a month in October with 147 total miles, and my least amount of miles this December when I logged only 9 miles. That is quite a drastic change. Two marathons in one year is a lot. 

I am looking forward to a fresh start that the new year brings. Time to get back on track, set some new goals and decide what comes next. I can't wait!

Another Memorial Marathon...

***I originally wrote this post on 5/5, guess I have done a pretty horrible job of keeping up with this. I am not going to edit this, but I do plan to post later why I think this day was so hard for me.***

Marathon #3 didn’t go exactly as I planned.

I think the OKC Memorial Marathon and I are officially breaking up. I know that I had said before that I would never run the full here again, and I don’t know what I was thinking that changed my mind. You just hate to have one of your running buddies go it alone; and I have been running strong all year.

My alarm went off at 4 am, and Josh was wonderful enough to get up to head out the door with me at 4:45am. We picked up Sarah, Rochelle and Cliff, swing by and meet up with some other friends to caravan downtown. The beauty of the Memorial, and I know I have said this before is that my office is right in the middle of the starting line and the finishing line. With a little sneaking around I can get into our parking lot for free parking, real bathrooms and we have now waited out two rain delays in our break room.

Of course there were pre race pictures.

 

 It all started to go to hell when they announced the first rain delay, then another, and another. In all the race started at 8:15 which, if you are keeping track, was almost two hours after the initial 6:30 start. So by the time we crossed the starting line, we should have been very close to being at the half way point. I ate breakfast at 4:30, so I was almost 4 hours past my banana and bonk breaker breakfast.

We started out well, maybe a little fast, but Sarah and I tried to settle into a pace that was sustainable over the long haul. We made it up the Walnut Street Bridge, through the bottleneck onto Lincoln, and made sure to hit up all the water stops on the course. Josh and Jen were at mile six cheering us on and before we knew it we were at the split and headed towards Chesapeake.

At mile 9, I had to take a walk break. Not long before then the clouds that had brought the earlier rain, decided to clear off completely and all that was left was the blazing sun and heat. My new plan to deal with the heat was to run a mile and walk a minute and get as much water/PowerAde at the water stops as I could. I saw Josh and Jen again at the half way point and they had ice for me that I ended up putting down the front of my sports bra.

After that it just got ugly. There was very little shade and the course heads out to Lake Hefner and the wind going south was brutal. I was not the only runner out there having a miserable time. I was near tears when I saw Josh again at mile 17, in a spot that I had not expected to see them, and I tried to keep running as much as I could by then. The water stop around mile 19 was handing out cold sponges and I kept pouring water down my back to try to keep cool.

At mile 20, Josh ran a little and walked a lot with me for the next mile or so. The highlight of the whole day was the beer that one of the local running stores was handing out at mile 21. Best. Beer. Ever.

If I had known how horrible the day was going to be I would have started drinking earlier. The next couple of miles were more walking than running. Everything hurt; my knees and hips, along with the pain of blisters on my toes made every step impossible and running into the strong south winds made standing up straight even when I was walking a struggle.

Rochelle showed up around mile 23 and grabbed my arm and forced me to start running again. I can honestly say that I would not have been able to finish if she hadn’t been there. She made me keep running and when I was ready to walk so would only let me slow down. She talked me all the way to the finish line, and Josh and Jen were waiting there to cheer me on once more.

 

I knew that it was going to be a warm day, and I had adjusted my goals for the day before we even began, but I never imagined how horrible it would be. I crossed the finish line in under 5 hours, about 30 minutes slower than Cowtown last year.

No finish line photos with friends this time around, but I did get one selfie with Cliff before we headed home to a much needed ice bath.

I didn’t feel like a quitter this time around, but it’s so hard to train for a marathon and then have your performance on race day not reflect how strong I felt throughout my training. You can’t control everything on race day, and we were just dealt a pretty crappy hand. I am thankful that I had family and friends out on the route that were supporting me, I could not have done it on my own.

No more Memorial Marathons for me. I think I will stick to the half marathon, or maybe I will convince my super speedy friends that we could do well as a relay next year.

Let's Talk Marathon Training...

I have not talked about it much here, but I am running my third marathon on April 27th. I officially registered for the Memorial Marathon a week ago. I never thought I would run the full in OKC again, after the first time, and then after I tried a second time. I was back out there for the half last year, and it was pretty full of disappointment for me. So with all of our history, why not sign up to run this race again.

I know, I know, there is a lot to be said about being able to sleep in your own bed the night before a race. And yes, I do realize that logistically the location of my office being smack in the center of the race start and finish, including real bathrooms and free parking is a major win. Even with all of that I am having a some anxiety about this race. What will the weather be like? (No hail, please!). Have I trained enough? Am I really stronger mentally than I was a year ago?

Is the third time really a charm?

You might be asking yourself, with all this anxiety, why would I sign up for this race? It's a valid question.

Can I claim peer pressure? Probably not. My fabulous friend Sarah was planning on running it. I had been running strong, and thought, why let all this strong running go to waste? Instead of junk miles, how about marathon training miles? There you have it. To the non-marathoner I do realize that this probably sounds insane. To be honest for this two time marathoner, it sounds insane.

So in nine days I will be lining up for marathon number three. I am nervous and excited to see what OKC has in store for me; I do love a good story. Lots of questions, and the answers will be here soon enough.

Oh yeah, did I mention that I signed up for marathon number four today? Now that sounds insane!

Let's Talk About the Memorial...

I have spent the last week going over and over last Sunday's Memorial half marathon. I am very conflicted on how I feel about this race. First of all, it was a great day. After a horrible night's sleep I was up at an inhuman hour, 4 am, and I picked up Rochelle and we meet Laura and headed downtown.

I think I have mentioned before the benefits of a hometown race, sleeping in your own bed, being able to cook your pre-race meal, not having to worry about forgetting to pack your gear. The best part about the Memorial is that the race start is only a couple blocks from my office, and the finish line is right in front of our building. Free parking, real bathrooms, and a dry place to wait out a rain delay being the biggest advantages.

We got to my office before 5:30, so we had plenty of time to take pre race pictures.

Rochelle and I. Seriously love the pink OK Runner tanks.

Laura went with the purple tank. It was so cute also!

Rochelle, Laura, Kim and I.

We headed over tothe race start at about 6. There was time for more pictures before the 171 seconds of silence.

Self portrait in corral B.

 

The sea of people ahead of us.

There was quite a bit of traffice at the start. We kept our pace pretty conservative as we weaved in and out of people. It was a fantastic day for a race. We chatted a bit ad settled in. We saw some friends out on the course and even saw some friends our cheering. Another plus for a hometown race.

I was okay for the first 8-ish miles. At that point Rochelle and Laura pulled away from me and the wheels just fell off. It was hot, and sunny and I think the weather got to me a bit. The stretch of the race along Classen (where I got hailed on during the marathon two years ago) was very difficult. I felt a little light headed and I drank as much water and Gatorade as I could at each water stop. I also walked under every set of misters I could find.

My calves and hamstrings were on the verge of cramping quite a bit of the time. I tried to run as much as I could, but I also walked quite a bit. I spent the final three miles or so with my sister Jen, who was struggling as much as I was. I did pick it up and ran most of the last mile. There were quite a few more people out near the finish than two years ago, which was nice.

I got a picture of Jen and I after we crossed the finish line.

My results were not anywhere near what I was hoping for.

It is no so much the time that I was so disappointed with on Sunday. I am struggling with feeling like I just gave up on it in the end. I hit a wall and I just wasn't able to push through it. I'm not sure when I became this type of runner. I used to be able to push through when it got hard, but my last few races, Route 66, and Cowtown the wheels just seem to come off in the end. I am struggling with feeling like I have given up all three times.

There are alot of factors that go into race day, and it doesn't always come together. It just feels like a really long time since I had a race where I finished strong. I guess this is why there is always another race. I will have another chance to have it all come together. Now I just have to put in the work and pick another race. They won't always end in a PR, but I am going to work hard to conquer the mental aspects of race day.

Even with the disappointments it was a great day. There were more pictures at the finish line.

Laura and I didn't plan to weare matching super cute Lululemon running skirts.

Ro, Laura, Kim and I with our medals at the finish line.

Ro, Laura and I hung around and watched some friends finish.

Lauren and Kara after their relay Team Tracy finished.

I got home and was exhausted. That 4 am wake up call really began to hit me. I was staring! I ate and then spent the rest of the afternoon trying to stay awake. I made it until 8 o'clock before I couldn't stay awake anymore. Overall it was a beautiful day and I am so glad I got to spend it with some of the best people I know. There will be another race day, I look forward to it.

 

Posted with Blogsy

WIAW Race Weekend...

It's Wednsday again, which means another WIAW post.

The only thing about a race weekend, is I hate waiting to run on Sundays. I know, I know, it's all about the race expo and to have an expo the race has to be on Sunday. On Saturday I slept in and when the girls got up we decided to make pancakes for brunch.

I'm not gonna lie, I ate every single one of them.

We considered going out for pasta Saturday night, but we decided to be lazy and do our carb loading at home. Spaghetti with red sauce, parmasean cheese and garlic bread on the side.

Post race food at the finish line left quite a bit to be desired. I had part of a plain bagel, a couple of cookies, chocolate milk and two bottles of water. After hanging around to watch some of our friends finish, we headed home and I was starving.

Fake chicken nuggets, some cheese, a pickle and some ruffles. Later I had some pistachios, and tried really hard to not fall asleep. We ended up having takeout from O Asian Fusion for dinner. Spicy garlic veggies with fried rice, spring roll ad crab rangoon.

So there were my race weekend eats. Pretty yummy.

I also had a plate full of green veggies last night. Roasted sweet potatoes, mushrooms and pineapple over quinoa with roasted broccoli and Brussels sprouts on the side. The perfect post yoga meal.

I still haven't talked about the actual race. I have been having a hard time digesting it all. In short it was a great day, lots of fun with some very good friends, but a pretty disappointing race for me.

I will get it all out in another day or so.

 

Posted with Blogsy

I Love a Good Race Expo...

I ducked out of work early yesterday afternoon and met up with one of my favorite fellow expo lovers, Kim. Again, the beauty of a hometown marathon is that you don't have to travel far to pick up your race packet. We headed to the Cox Center for the OKC Memorial Marathon expo. Parking wasn't too terrible, but downtown was pretty crowded because of the Festival of the Arts going on right next door.

The expo opened at noon and we got there right on time.

They always do a good job of making packet pick-up a breeze at the Memorial. Lots of lines for everyone not running the 5k. I picked up my packet and two extras for friends that couldn't make it and Kim and I headed to check out all the stuff.

Yes, since I was with Kim, there were pictures.

We also got to go chat with friends at our favorite running store's booth. We got awesome new tanks to wear on race day.

Again, because I was with Kim, there were more pictures.

We forced Tim to take a picture with us. We got him to take a picture with us two years ago at the very same expo before my first marathon.

I can't believe after two years I am going to toe the line Sunday morning in OKC. I am very happy with my decision a few weeks ago to drop to the half marathon, and I am excited to run my first half on streets I am pretty familiar with.

 

Posted with Blogsy

Welcome Back...

There was not much action on the blog last week. After the horribleness of last Monday in Boston I had a hard time getting back to blogging. I had a little over ten miles on Saturday morning to work out some of the emotions of last week with a few of my favorite running friends.

Source

This photo just moved me. I can't imagine being part of a race and experiencing something like this. I am so proud that my hometown race the OKC Memorial Marathon has invited the runners from Boston to participate in our race next weekend.

I will be putting on my red compression sleeves next Sunday morning and Boston will be on my mind when I cross the starting line. I am determined that I will be in Boston one day. I might not qulify until I am 80 but I will be there.

I thought I would participate in the Fitness Friday Linkup this week.

Tomorrow is officially race week. As I have said before on this blog, I love Race Week. Sure it is a little more exciting when it involves travel, but it is also nice to be able to make my own pre race past dinner and sleep in my own bed the night before a race. Working only a couple of blocks from the race start and right down the street from the finish line also makes for great parking, indoor pre race bathrooms, and shelter from rain delays before the start.

We had a few speedy runs last week. Our six miles on Tuesday averaged a 8:45 pace, with a few of the miles under 8:30. My legs felt pretty beat up afterwards, so it was probably not the best idea to do sprints on the treadmill Wednesday morning. We ended up wimping out of our Thursday morning run. I couldn't bring myself to go back to the Y to run on the treadmill that morning, but I felt less guilty about it after Saturday.

We had perfect running weather Saturday morning, and it makes me so mad to have such a great day the week before the race, because chances are the weather will be total crap next Sunday. Our run was unsupported because our favorite running store owner was out of town for a fishing trip. It was weird to be worried about our own water/fuel stops for our run. We headed from OK Runner, north through Brookhaven and changed our route to the "flats" a little bit. It was a nice change of pace, and we got some hills in through a neighborhood just north of our regular route.

Ten miles at a an 8:30 pace, and I felt pretty strong throughout the run. It felt good to have a strong run and the chance to work through some emotions. I am hoping to have a strong race on Sunday. It is strange that this will be my first half marathon in OKC. I had gone from the 5k to the marathon. It'll be fun to run my race and then cheer on my friend Sarah who is running her second marathon this month. I thought I might regret dropping from the full to the half, but I feel like I am running strong and am ready to go out and have fun and run strong.

I got to have a girls' weekend with Camy and Carson because Josh was out of town this weekend, but I talk about that later.

 

Posted with Blogsy

Thoughts...

Before I became a runner I had no idea what the Boston Marathon was. No idea what it takes to get there, or how it is a race unlike other marathons. I didn't know that not only do you have to meet the qualifying time but just because you meet that time doesn't necessarily mean you can get in. {For me to get in before I turn 40 I would have to run a 3:40 marathon.}

I was so excited to get race updates when my friend Patti ran Boston two years ago. Talk about race envy. This year I was quite excited about Marathon Monday.

I listened to the women's race while I was spending time in one of the walking rooms at work Monday morning. It was really hard to not run on the treadmill while listening to the race coverage.

I was deeply saddened a few hours later when I heard about the bombings at the finish line. It is hard when we are again reminded of the evils that exist in this world, and I don't know any runners that have not been affected by the horrible turn of events.

This is part of why it hits home for me.

This is my favorite picture from my first marathon, the OKC Memorial, two years ago. Josh and the girls waiting for me in the rain at the finish line. It is unimaginable to think that anyone's family and friends could have been in danger for being out there to cheer on the runners.

We are 12 days away from the OKC Memorial Marathon, a race that came out of a terrorist attack. I don't think there will be any runners our there that won't be carrying the saddness of Boston with them as they Run to Remember. We will do what runners do, we will run. With a heavy heart and the knowledge that the world has again become a little less innocent.

 

Posted with Blogsy

I Am Still A Runner...

It's been over a week since the marathon, so I can no longer use that as ann excuse for not getting my booty out of bed in the mornings. I am not gonna lie, it has been really nice sleeping in, and the cold mornings have made it that much easier.

The thing about me is I hate the treadmill. If you have known me, or followed my blog for very long, you will know that I have a deep hatred for the dreadmill. It's crazy to think that I used to prefer it to running outside. When I trained for my first marathon I ran my longest run, 20 miles, on the indoor track at the Y. One mile is 12 laps! I will let you do the math on that one. It was alot of freaking laps, and all because it was cold and windy outside. Now a days I avoid it at all costs, mostly for traveling, or for horrific two mile post marathon recovery runs.

I have been pretty lucky, we haven't had too many runs that have gotten rained out, or snowed out or cancelled because of ice. Cold weather doesn't bother me, it's all about the gear when it comes to the cold, wind and rain. Truth be told, we don't usually run if it's raining. I like to reserve weather conditions like rain and hail for race days only, makes it a little more special.

One thing that we can't get away from here in Oklahoma is the wind. It's the whole wind sweeping down the plains thing. We have been known to run in windy 20+ mph 30 something temps conditions. Do we like these conditions? Hell no, but it's like a badge of honor. Ask any runner you know, and they will have a story about how it was this cold and the wind was this hard and they logged this many miles. There is something about the runner's high after a run where you really had to brave the elements, it's just that much stronger.

With that beig said, we have totally wimped out of our run in the morning. I can hear the wind howling out there, and sometimes you just have to push it back a day. If you happen to be keeping track, this means it will be over two weeks since my last week day morning run. There seems to be a pattern developing here and I might start to get worried if I don't get out of bed for a run on Wednesday. I do have a couple of races coming up.

My friend Kim has talked me into registerig for the Run Lucky 5k this Sunday. Oh how I hate running a 5k, but I do love a good cause. Plus how can I not want to go do a race with this girl?

The more pressing race is the OKC Memorial Marathon coming up next month.

I have been registered for this race for quite a while. Since early last year, in fact. I registered for this year's race with my deferment from last year. (I seriously love this race for that.) I had thought all along that I would drop down to the half marathon if I ran another marathon before this race. I am having a hard time making the change. I don't know what it is, I know I am not a quitter if I change the distance I will run, but it sure feels like it.

For now I am torn. My plan is to keep running and let the miles work themselves out. As I get closer to race day I will be able to decide what I want to do. My first goal will be to get back out there in the early mornings to start logging some more miles and see where the road takes me.

 

Posted with Blogsy

I Think I Am Ready To Run...

It has only been three days since my last run. Although I don't think I would call the horrific two mile treadmill torture a run. I have no plans to run tomorrow, so I am going on five days off.

I went to yoga tonight, and while my quads and hamstrings were still a little tired, especially during chair pose, they felt about a million times better than they did a the class on Tuesday night. I suspect the ankle and arch pain and swelling I had been experiencing are from poor form at the end of Sunday's race, and maybe the New Balance shoes I have been running in have a little less arch support that the Brooks Ravennas I had previously been running in.

At yoga on Tuesday it was hard to straighten my foot while I was on my mat for upward facing dog. Tonight there was much improvement. You might say that my body is feeling back to normal. I even got that nervous excited feeling when talking about the plan for Saturday morning.

I always feel nervous when I feel like I'm going to find out if my legs still work like they should. All of this sleeping in this week has been too nice I think. The cold weather has probably helped that, the thought of getting up to run next week just doesn't sound fun, but the thought of getting back with my favorite running friends for our early morning miles makes me realize how much I have missed all of them.

So what't up next? Who knows. There is a pretty big local race that is two months away. I happen to be registered for the full there, but it's probably more probable that I will be running 13.1 miles that day. We shall see what happens.

Most importantly right now is to get back to running in my beloved Brooks.

According to my banker I will be getting a pair of these lovelies in a week. I can't wait.

Until then I hope everyone has a runtastic Friday!

 

Posted with Blogsy

National Running Day 2012...

In case you hadn't heard, yesterday was National Running Day.  All over the world wide web the running community was buzzing about running. Sadly, I did not lace up my running shoes to join in the celebration. 

{***Injury Update--I have been cleared by my doctor to run and told to take it slow.  I did hit the treadmill on Tuesday evening and run/walk for 30 miserable minutes.  I can't decide if it's worse to not be able to run or building up after not being able to run.  I'll keep you posted on my decision.***}

Anyway...

I saw an interesting post on a blog that I follow, about all things running and figured I would just copy the format.  So here goes...

1. Favorite Running Memory...
I would have to go with my first full marathon.  If you've been reading my blog for a while you might remember my race recap of the OKC Memorial Marathon last May.  If not I'll give you the highlights.  Abby and I ran through thunder, lightening, rain, wind and hail (twice!), but we completed that 26.2 miles faster than we thought we would.  I would be happy to never run in conditions like that again, but it'll be a memory I'll never forget.

2. Favorite Running Buddy...

I could never pick just one.

Me, Rochelle, Abby, Patti and Kelsey (not pictured Kim)

I have the best group of women that I run with.  They are my sanity.  (Which explains why these last months have been so hard.)  They are the people I can go to and say, "how about we do this" and they will not think I am crazy.  Over the last year I have come to the realization that people come into your life for a reason and I don't know how I got so lucky to have all these people in my life but I am thankful every day they let me pound the pavement with them.

3. Favorite Place to Run...
Norman, Oklahoma!  We have so many routes that I love, or have learned to love in Norman.  I have even learned to love the hills.  Not so much the ones by Craig's house, but one of my favorite routes is from the Y to Robinson to 36th and back.  My last run before the 14 mile run from hell that ended in injury was this out and back route.  It was 5 am on a Thursday and it was windy, cold and rainy.  Man did I feel STRONG that day.  I can't wait to get back there!

4. Favorite Race...

Cowtown 2012.  No doubt about it, I felt incredibly strong in February when we headed to Fort Worth for this half marathon.  What a great weekend with the girls, got to hang with some really bad ass runners including Scott who won (and was disqualified from) the full marathon.  It was very exciting to see someone I knew cross that finish line first.  Even that mile long hill was worth it, and my Garmin said I was right on pace to break 1:50, either it was right or the course was a quarter mile long.  I guess we will never know.  I need to work on cutting the corners.  I can't wait until Cowtown 2013.

5. Favorite Distance...
Definitely the half marathon.  I love that I can run this distance and feel untrained (Hello Tulsa!), that I can run it and support someone in reaching their goal of making it to the finish line (Hello Chicago!), and that I don't feel completely dead after pushing myself for 13.1 miles to reach a goal.  I know the marathon is in my future, and I plan to break the 4 hour mark on the next one, but there is just something about the half that I love.  You don't have the "OH MY GAWD I AM DYING" that I associate with the 5k, and the training doesn't take over your life like marathon training does.

5. Favorite Running Dream...
Just like I could never pick one favorite running buddy, I could never pick just one running dream.  So here are a few, in no particular order.

• I'd love to run Boston one day.  No explanation needed here.
• I'd love to run the Hood to Coast relay.  If not this relay than I'd settle for another one.  How fun would it be to load up 11 team mates into two vans and be a part of a 200 mile trek from the start to the finish line?
• I'd love to do a half ironman.  Technically this is not specific to running, but it's a race that includes my favorite running distance, so how awesome would that be?

 I hope everyone had a happy running day.  I am excited to meet up with my group in the morning bright and early at 5:15 and see if my legs still love running as much as my heart and mind do.

 

And Now the Depressing News...

I saw my ortho doc yesterday for what I thought would be my final visit. I've been boot/crutches free since Friday and my leg feels good. So while I am walking like a normal person I have still not been cleared to run for ANOTHER 4 WEEKS. My definition of eternity? I know you want to know this, is 12+ weeks of no running. I go back on June 5th.

So I thought I would sum up what I have missed...

Rock N Roll Dallas Half Marathon in March...


The OKC Memorial Marathon in April...


I'll be missing the Dirty 30 5k on Saturady...


And there will be no running at the Corporate Challenge the first week in June...

Luckily there are other things I can do here.  Swimming, cycling and maybe even an obstacle course.

Still, I won the 10K for our division last year and before my injury I was running way faster than I had been running in that race a year ago.  I was looking forward to what I could do there this year.








There is one race I am on the fence about.  It's the OCCC Super Sprint Tri on June 9th.  I go back to the doctor on June 5th and I should be good to go at that point.  Is it possible to train for a sprint tri when you are not able to run?  The run is only a 5k, so I just have to see if I'm willing to find out if it's possible.  Sounds scary, but I have done lots of things in the past that are scary.  Fear is good, right?  I need some motivation, otherwise I feel like I've been spinning my wheels for the last 8 and a half weeks and I still have another 4 weeks to go.