Only 3 weeks away!

I've pretty much been the worst blogger ever this season with Team Challenge. I started off okay, and did a good amount of blogging for the team blog, but obviously over the past month have been super slack. I've had a much harder time sticking to my training this season --- while I don't feel awful health-wise, I also don't feel amazing. I work 10-hour days now, and by the time I get home pretty much all I want to do is put on my pajamas and rest. I'm exhausted all the time it seems! And my weekends have been jam-packed since the summer .... which is a good thing but I'm definitely burning the candle at both ends!

In 3 short weeks, I will have finished my THIRD half-marathon! I am so excited for the Las Vegas trip and for another experience with Team Challenge. Our team is great this season, and we have so many really cool people and awesome mentors. I've really enjoyed being able to lead the run/walk group and take a leadership role within the organization. The run/walk folks are really great and it's been fun to get to know them all during our weekly runs! It's amazing how much you can share with people when you're running for a 2+ hour stretch of time! :)

This past weekend, we completed our 11 mile run! I remember this point last season and feeling completely overwhelmed, and I have to say that nothing has changed at all! I was still exhausted running 11 miles, I was still sore and tired afterwards, and I still feel nervous at having to run 13.1 miles in just a few short weeks! It is nice knowing that I have completed the distance 2 times before, and that I have completed this course in Vegas before. I have to keep reminding myself that it is flat in Las Vegas and hopefully the excitement of the day will keep me going!

I'm still busy fundraising, but continue to be humbled by the support of so many friends and family. Our team has raised over $107,000 .... all money that will go towards research in Crohn's and Colitis! I am SO ready for there to be a cure!

Playing catch up!

So, I realize that I've been a bad blogger this season. My mom tells me often that I need to update this thing, and of course I listen to everything she tells me (HA!).

Some pictures from the last few weeks .... some from Team Challenge, some from my life outside of Team Challenge!

This is Angel, our Team Challenge Georgia endurance manager! She is so spirited and fun! We dressed up on Halloween to do our 9-mile run! I was a "black-eyed pea" .... silly, but it was easy to actually run in and people thought I was real witty, hahah!

After our 9-mile run, I got in the car and drove down to Beaufort to Matt's house. He had a Halloween party/chili cookoff with work and it was so fun! His squadron's theme was "The Brig" .... and while I wasn't thrilled with wearing a prisoner costume, it was actually a really fun time! Matt and I didn't actually take any pictures together at the party ... oh well!

We carved pumpkins on Halloween for his front porch. They both came out pretty pitiful .... definitely not our forte. I cut my thumb (on the dull side of a knife, mind you .... that's talent) so Matt had to finish my pumpkin for me. So glad that he gave him ears ..... any good audiologist will put ears on her pumpkin!

The following weekend, I went down to Savannah with Matt for the Marine Corps Birthday Ball. It was a really nice evening, although it was freeeezing cold! Matt wouldn't dance with me at all, which was a crying shame!

I missed my group run that weekend, but we made up for it and ran in Beaufort! This was on Saturday morning on River Street. We walked around and there was a little street fair going on. It was really chilly, but we found a booth with fried snickers bars and it was nothing short of heaven!

That's been the gist of the past few weeks ..... busy busy busy! Vegas is only 3 weeks away and I can't believe it!