This morning we did our 5 mile run, and it went really well! We were right about on pace, and we finished feeling good. There were only 4 of us in my group today so we had a nice easy run and chatted with each other. It's kind of cool because 5 miles is the farthest I've ever run in my life (yes, I know, I'm lazy). And I also realized today that for the next 5 weeks, every week I will be running the farthest I've ever run in my life. Woo!

Since a few people have asked, I added a link to the "Donate" box on the left with instructions and the donation form for donating by mail.

Just so y'all know, it does take a really long time for donations to show up in my account, so don't fret if you don't see yourself acknowledged here. Also, for those of you who I know have paid by check, you'll see yourself listed in the "Thank You" box, but I'm not including you in the donation total until it shows up on the website. Whew.

I also wanted to say thanks so much to everyone who has donated so far. It's been really encouraging to see how generous all of you have been in supporting my training as well as raising money for an important cause. I'm more than 1/4 of the way to my goal!

They ain't kidding when they talk about "runners high." We did our 6-mile training run (farthest ever!) this morning and I feel great! Afterwards Buddy and I had breakfast at Heidi's Pies in San Mateo, where I had an ultra-healthy meal of country fried steak, eggs, and hashbrowns. Mmm.... Then I went to Runners High (the store, not the state of being) to get some more running socks and a waterproof jacket in anticipation for the rainy season.

I was also excited because my Run Against Bush CoolMax® shirt arrived in the mail yesterday, so I was able to wear it for my training run. Yahoo!

Finally, a big thank you again to everyone who's donated so far. Keep it coming!

Buddy and I have decided, pretty much beyond any doubt, that our fundraising totals on the AIDS Marathon website are updated by hand. There's no other explanation for why it is so erratically updated, even for online donations, which one would expect to be instant. Seems kind of silly to do it this way, but I guess that's the world of non-profit work.

In a related note, people continue to amaze me with their generosity. Thank you to everyone who has donated!

This morning on my run, I decided that I was bored with my usual route, so I basically just ran around randomly for 45 minutes. It makes the time pass when you have no idea where you're going. Good times!

I was in New York this past weekend, so I missed another one of our training runs. Instead, my brother took me running along the West Side Highway and around Battery Park. We started out just running, but as we went on, we started doing the 5:1 run:walk. He had me run a bit faster than my usual pace, but I think it was good for me to be pushed. We estimate that we did between 6.5 - 7 miles, and I was feeling really good afterwards. This week 8 miles!

Again, thanks so much to everyone for donating. I am now over halfway to the minimum, and over a third of the way to my goal!

This past Saturday was our 8-mile run (farthest ever!) It rained on and off (more on than off) for the entire 90 minutes, which was an interesting experience. Fortunately, I purchased a waterproof jacket a while ago, so that kept me reasonably dry. My super awesome cashmere knit cap (courtesy of Christine) also kept my exceptionally large head warm. During the entire run, we were fighting foot traffic from the Making Strides Against Breast Cancer walk, which caused us to change our route slightly. This week was also the first time I tried my PowerGels. I had the lemon-lime flavor which, contrary to their claims, is not a "tangy, refreshing alternative", but rather quite disgusting. 1 1/2 fluid ounces never seemed so large.

Nonetheless, the run turned out quite well, and we finished right on pace. It was, however, the first week that I was sore the next day. I imagine I'll have to get used to the feeling as our mileage increases. Next week: double digits!

My good buddy Roxanne is running the Marine Corps Marathon this Sunday, so I just wanted to take this opportunity to say good luck to her. She trained with the AIDS Marathon program as well, so she's been my shining beacon of hope and inspiration, reminding me that you need not be a runner to run a marathon.

So Roxanne, good luck, eat your goos, stay hydrated, and finish strong. I know you'll rock it. I'll be eagerly awaiting your mile splits at 4 in the morning.

Yesterday we had our 10 mile run! This was a milestone for a lot of people, so there was a lot of anxiety mixed in with excitement for everyone. I was running on 5 hours sleep which was, shall we say, interesting. We had 3 people who usually run at the Berkeley training site join us, which was fun. The course was much hilly-er (hillier?) than the ones I've run before, and I was definitely feeling it my legs and knees. I also had a hard time keeping the group together, which was a combination of the tough course and general sluggishness in the group. We ended up 7 minutes slow, which isn't actually too bad spread over 10 miles, and the coach said it was okay. Today my left knee is sore, which is a bit worrisome, but I suppose I'll wait and see how the week goes. This Saturday: 12 miles!

Roxanne Jensen @ Final time (unofficial): 06:05:17.30, Marine Corps Marathon