It’s tempting. And I’m not talking about this cake and ice cream I had after dinner ( so tempting that I couldn’t resist)…
What’s tempting is to make a goal of pacing myself faster than is realistic. It’s tempting to hope that some how, some way I’ll be able to beat my first marathon time. But, I shouldn’t. Marathons are for real, not for dreaming or hoping it will be easy.
Just like how I will wake up tomorrow with regret when I realize I ate a massive piece of cake and extra ice cream (after a truffle or two).
I will regret starting out too fast. I will regret trying to keep up with faster bloggers and fellow runners. I will regret being frustrated with myself when I feel slow, or tired or hopeless.
So, while tempting, I will be realistic about my pace and do my best to have fun and make good memories.
Because, at my next marathon – it’s on.
So, I’m going to admit it: I am not going to win. I’m not even going to place. But I’m going to finish and have a good time.
Ben’s mom re-created Christmas dinner with with a turkey and all the trimmings. I started with a salad with chickpeas.
And went back for several helpings on sweet potatoes and green bean casserole 🙂
We also celebrated my sister-in-laws birthday with cake and ice cream. It has been too long since I’ve had cake. Cake should happen more often in my life!
Have your cake and eat it too! I did 🙂
Then it was Christmas, for the second time this season. Maybe Ben and I can make a movie called “Two Christmases” even though I’m not as petite, or blond as Reese Witherspoon and he’s not as funny as Vince Vaughn.
See you all tomorrow 🙂
The icing on that cake is making me REALLY want cake…I have some fudge in the freezer that I might just have to break into because of that.
Good luck at Disney and have FUN!
Marathons are for you, and no one else. It doesn’t matter what anyone else does!
Before my first marathon, a friend and veteran marathoner told me that she always wakes up the morning of a marathon and tells herself, “Well, it’s not like I’m going to win this thing…”
I repeatedly tell myself in the beginning, “slow down, you can always speed up at the end if you’ve got energy left – save it until then and finish strong.”
Oh, and I agree with Evan: cake = carbo-loading. You should eat guilt-free for the next 48 hours!
Whew!! You’re tiring me out girlie!! At least save the regrets for AFTER the race, LOL! 🙂 Just finishing a marathon is more than most people would ever dream. You’re awesome!
That cake looks so good! Carbo-load away. You’ve got 26.2 miles to ROCK 🙂
I believe in you! 🙂
That cake and ice cream look great! I am getting hungry.
Oh wow-that cake and ice crea look awesome! I want some now 🙂
good luck on sunday. youre going to be amazing. remember to breathe because you are going to have fun and finish and have great memories 🙂
You’re going to have a great race b/c you’re being realistic. In October, I started out too fast, started thinking crazy thoughts about shaving 10 minutes off my goal and wound up finishing 12 minutes AFTER my goal. Go out there, soak up the sights and love every second of it b/c you’ve earned that enjoyment!!
Yay for cake and ice cream!!!
Good luck this weekend, you’ll be great 😉
No regrets! I’m struggling with intuitive eating issues myself, so I’m making that statement my mantra for 2010! Now go rock that marathon! You are amazing!
Good luck in the race!
You can still totally meet me!!! I will be around mile 23 and I won’t be hard to spot! Redhair, massive signage, silly balloon’s, cowbell and acting a fool! Swing by and say hi!!! Good luck girl!!! 🙂
Great attitude, Monica! I like your positivity towards that marathon. Ultimately, it’s just to enjoy yourself!
By the way, your posts are still coming up two times on my reader. What’s wrong?
Don’t regret anything. Remember you’re doing a MARATHON! That is amazing in and of itself! Good luck!
I know all too well about going faster than the pace you can handle. I did it and now I am suffering. Hope you’ll do well and enjoy the marathon.
I don’t thing you should have any regrets! Anything you do in the run up to, or in the marathon, you’ll learn from and know not to do next time. I kind of HAVE to do things wrong, even if I know the right way, otherwise I won’t do it again (ie I ran everyday non stop for 4months when I first started, even though I knew I SHOULD take days off – and I got injured! I knew it would happen, but I needed it to to learn from it 🙂 Now I take days off!)
And imagine how much you’ll burn running 26miles – the cake will be a blip!! (besides, it looks DELICIOUS, I’d say it was worth it :p)
Have a great day!
Great looking cake!
Love the marathon talk!
<3 jess