I had this really gnarly picture of my red swollen foot and toe to post (including a lovely black toenail) but then I decided that I like myself too much to leave that image in the minds of the three people who actually read my blog. So instead, I decided to post a picture of the little bast**d who caused it all.

It's a long story, but about a month ago I got stung by a wasp on the toe. No big deal. It hurt immensely for about a minute, and then I was fine. Well, last Wednesday I was enjoying the weather out on my deck when I felt excruciating pain in my toe. I looked down, and there was a wasp caught in my sandal. It hurt like heck for about a minute, but unlike the sting two weeks before, it didn't stop hurting. It continued to throb at a level eight on the pain scale for the next 24 hours. It hurt so much, I had to take two days off from running. Can you believe it? Of all of the places that little bee-stard could have stung me it had to be on the toe. After the pain stopped, it started itching so much that I was positive I would either kill someone or have to be committed.

That's the bad news. The good news is, the two days of rest gave a real boost to my running. I did the Elk Meadow run last Friday, two days after the sting. My foot was still swollen, and I had to loosen my shoelaces to get it to fit inside my running shoe. I was kind of dreading the run because the week before I had done two loops and it nearly killed me. This time around I was going to be doing three loops. The extra rest must have helped, because I felt awesome. It was a chilly day for August (around 60 degrees) and I felt like I could do another loop by the time I finished. The only negative is that my hydration pack (a Camelbak Flashflo) started leaking and I was drenched for almost the entire run. It felt like I was running with ice packs on my butt (hmm...maybe I should try this). Unfortunately, it took a very painful wasp sting to once again teach me the importance of rest.

I wish I could say today's 12-miler went as well. I really underestimated the effect the heat would have on me. I had to do my long run in Denver because I needed my mother-in-law to watch my kids. It was 95 degrees down there. I haven't run in that kind of heat in six years. I felt great for the first six miles, but when I turned around to head back, I felt like I did during my marathon death march in the 2000 Rock n' Roll Marathon in San Diego. I know my electrolytes must have been really messed up because I had chills, even though it was 95 degrees outside. I started out at about a 9 minute pace and finished the last two miles at around a 12 minute pace. I used my new hydration belt (the Fuel Belt Endurance - which I love by the way - and it doesn't leak). It holds 40 ounces and I refilled it once. I went through nearly 80 ounces of water. I felt so cruddy. When I stopped to walk for my cool down, my heart rate remained in the 140s for more than ten minutes. I feel normal now, just a bit sore from running on the concrete. It's funny how I can set off on a run feeling like Super Woman and return home feeling more like Droopy the Dog. Thank god I didn't head out for an 18-miler (that's next week). If it's 95 degrees on the day of my next long run, I think I'll stay inside and do it on the dreadmill.

Just in case you were wondering, Rush is almost weaned. He's still doing the first thing in the morning feeding, but that's it. I think I'll let him keep this one for the next couple of weeks. Then I'm a free woman. More later.

Here's a picture of me crossing the finish line at the August 6, 2006 Iron Girl. Check out those legs. I guess SPF 50 really does work.

It's been an interesting week. First off, in the donation department, I only have $135 left to raise for guaranteed entry into the NYC Marathon! Thanks for helping me raise nearly $2,500 for Team For Kids! And if you haven't contributed yet and want to say you were the one who pushed me over the mark, click on the link to the right.

Last Thursday I did an 11.2 mile run on the Elk Meadow trail in Evergreen. It's a beautiful run; a 5.6 mile loop with an impressive uphill climb. It starts at around 7,400 feet and goes up to nearly 8,000 (a 600 ft. gain over the course of the run).

I learned a few things on my run. First of all, never eat Weight Watcher's Chicken Enchiladas Monterey as a pre-run meal, unless for some reason you like the taste so much that you're willing to repeat the experience for the next two hours. Yuck!

I also learned why I love the long run. Like most of my runs, the first three miles (which were slightly downhill) SUCKED. I was talking to my friend Olga about this (who by the way is also training to run NYC with me - you go girl!). Olga and I agreed that the first three to four miles of a long run always suck. Then we get into a groove and almost feel like we could run forever. This is why I enjoy the long run so much. You spend a lot more time in that effortless zone. Maybe this is why people who only run three to four miles at a time can't imagine doing a marathon. They never do runs long enough to get in that effortless zone. They imagine feeling the way most people do during a 5k for 26.2 miles. If I felt the way I do during a 5k in a marathon, I would never finish. I'll write more about this in upcoming posts, because not only do I want to raise money for Team For Kids, but I also want to convince everyone I know to do a marathon at least once.

During the last two miles of the run, I started to get pretty tired. I fought the hills and the hills won. I remember thinking I could never do another loop. My legs ached for two days afterwards. Then I realized that I had to do more runs at Elk Meadow. It made me stronger. I did a 7-mile tempo run the Saturday after and I swear I felt faster than I've ever been before. I'm learning so much during my training this time around. First, I'm learning that I have to train HARD to get better. But I've also learned that it's even more important to train easy. It's so difficult to take time off to let your body recover (especially when you start to see gains and you think - if I could just run more I could get even faster). But by training really hard three days a week, and REALLY easy three days a week, I have made more improvements than ever before. Hopefully, the improvements will continue.

So today I'm getting ready to do another run at Elk Meadow. This time I'm going to do 15 miles (three loops) something I couldn't imagine doing just a week ago. Oh how quickly we forget. I'll post how it goes in my next entry. And don't worry...no more Chicken Enchiladas Monterey.

I wish I could say that Rush looks this unhappy because I'm weaning him. The truth is, I cut out three feedings today and he could care less. I guess it's mom who needs to be weaned more than baby. Anyway, at this rate I have one (maybe two) more weeks of breastfeeding left. I should have posted a picture of me crying.

But, on a much happier note, I'm almost done fund raising. Only $339 left to go (a special thank you to everyone who read my blog and donated last week). So, if you haven't donated yet, just know that you could be the one who pushes me over the $2,500 mark. Just click on the link to the right.

Last Thursday I did my longest run in the last six years, a 13-miler. I'm definitely feeling older than I did back in 2000. My hips and knees started aching about five miles into the run. Cardio-wise I felt like I could go forever, but my body has a hard time with the pounding now. I'm sure it doesn't help that I do most of my runs on the treadmill, and this one was on pavement. Hopefully, the runs will get easier as I do more outside running.

But the biggest news is that I set a personal record at a race yesterday. It was called the RYKA Iron Girl 5 miler. I did it because I wanted a t-shirt that said "Iron Girl" (secretly hoping people might mistake it for Iron Man - who doesn't want people to think they've done an Iron Man?). Anyway, I ran it in 38:28 (a 7:41 pace). I ended up placing fourth in my age group. That's by far the fastest I've ever run. I felt like I was going to die during the race and when I finished I was so dizzy and nauseated I thought I'd never eat again. Thankfully, the feeling passed. I won't mention how many calories I've packed in since.

I felt good about my time, but it was kind of depressing to watch women blaze by me, running the entire race at a pace that's faster than I can sprint for 40 yards. Those women are amazing. I know because one of them started screaming at me when I took a wrong turn. I almost missed an entire half-mile section of the course, and this woman was quick to point out my mistake, not in a friendly kind of way, but in a "if you don't turn around right now I'm going to beat your ass" kind of way. Wow...competitive athletes are...um...competitive. I apologized profusely as I turned around to get back on course, but she was already gone, her pink hot pant shorts leaving a trail of smoke. I may never win a race, but I'll also never wear pink hot pant shorts. Which is sadder? You be the judge.

No, I don't usually look this happy when I'm running on the dreadmill. I must have been watching a particularly good episode of Project Runway.

I have two little guys at home, so I have to do most of my runs on the treadmill. The only thing that makes it survivable is TIVO. This is why I've compiled my top ten Tivo shows for treadmill running. Most of them are silly and mindless, and there's a few I'm even embarrassed to admit I watch, but they've all gotten me through many miles.

10. Fear Factor - I could never sit down on the couch and watch this show, but there's nothing like a good eyeball eating contest to get me through the pain of an interval workout.
9. Survivor - this show is starting to get old, but watching people lose 30 percent of their body mass over 40 days is always inspiring.
8. The Real Orange County Housewives - a Bravo reality show about rich housewives in the OC. Ohhhhh...the drama.
7. Laguna Beach the Real OC - an MTV reality show about rich teens in the OC. OK so this one is embarrassing - but I like it anyway.
6. Workout - a new Bravo reality show about a chick who runs a gym for rich LA hotties. Who wouldn't want to watch attractive people sweat while sweating?
5. So You Think You Can Dance - an American Idol type show where callers help pick the next dance sensation (if there is such a thing. I don't think I can name a single dance sensation from the past decade) The dancing is usually entertaining and it requires absolutely no brainpower.
4. Rock Star Supernova - a reality show on CBS that has Tommy Lee and some rockers from Guns N'Roses and Metallica picking a new lead singer for their hybrid group Supernova. It's mostly music, but there's some decent drama when the rockers fight over song selection.
3. Entourage - an HBO comedy about a young movie star and his entourage. It's the only non-reality show on my list. I love the jerky agent character played by Jeremy Piven. The only drawback to watching this show while running is the possibility of missing a particularly good line of dialogue due to heavy breathing.
2. American Idol - I'm sorry...I love this show. Go Taylor!
1. Project Runway - a Bravo reality tv show that pits up and coming fashion designers against each other. I actually look forward to the run I get to do during this show. Anyone who has seen my idea of a cute outfit knows I'm totally clueless when it comes to fashion. This makes the show much more dramatic because I can never guess who is going to get the boot each week.

Thank god for Tivo, Bravo, and reality TV. I'd never make it through my runs without their support.

Last week I met with a personal trainer to get some tips on how to improve my running performance. I learned that while my abs are incredibly weak, I have the added bonus of a back that is even weaker. She taught me all of these exercises to improve my core strength (abs and back) with one of those big exercise balls. It was amazing. My abs still hurt. Today I joined the ranks of every housewife in America and bought one of those big balls for myself. Because of my lack of coordination, I probably look like a total goob rolling around on that thing, but if it makes me stronger, I'll do it. (NO, I won't be posting pictures).

Speaking of looking like a total goob, I also did some running in the swimming pool today. It's all the craze with the over 80 set. I wrapped one of those foam belts around my waist and flailed my arms and legs for an hour with my friend Joelle (who for some reason looked much cuter than I did during the flail). Little kids were pointing, staring, and laughing. Did I mention I also broke my heart rate monitor in the process? I thought it was supposed to be water resistant to 10 meters. Did they mean 10 millimeters? The instant I hit the water the thing started speaking Russian. Then it died. Does this mean I get to go shopping? Hmmm...potential blessing in disguise.

I also hit the $1,000 dollar mark in my fund raising today. I only need to raise $1,500 more to guarantee my marathon entry. I'm feeling really good about all of the support I'm getting.

But the biggest thing I did today involved Rush (my 14-month-old) I started the weaning process. I cut out one of his five daily feedings. He's taking it pretty well so far. To be honest, I don't think he noticed. But next week when I start cutting the pre nap feedings he's going to be pretty peeved. (Wait...is this too much information? Maybe I shouldn't be admitting I'm still breast feeding a 14-month-old. Too late now) I have until I leave for the marathon to get him off the mom and on the cow or it's going to be a very long weekend. I don't know if this whole marathon thing is going to be tougher for me or Rush. Maybe he'll talk about it in his blog. I'll post the link as soon as he learns to write.