An attitude of gratitude, Miles 12 and 13, plus random last-minute thoughts

I don't have much time. I am frantically packing for tomorrow's race and I've got about 15 minutes to write this post.

Last pre-race look at the weather: here's the "hour-by-hour" forecast for 7 AM tomorrow:

7 am

50°F
Mostly Cloudy

Feels Like 48°F

10%

74%

From NE
6 mph

AWESOME! The only thing I'm even remotely concerned about is the high humidity, but everything else looks great--cloud cover, great temps, light winds. YAY!! I'll be wearing a throwaway zip-up sweatshirt and some 50-cent garden gloves until I warm up, but I should be down to shirt and shorts by about Mile 3.

I want to dedicate Mile 12 to:

• My awesome Team in Training teammates, especially Angela, Amy, Brittany, Kelli, Lindsey, Liz, Mike, and Melissa! You guys have been so fantastic to run with. I'm glad we met and hope to keep running with you--whether it be races or whatever!
• My wonderful husband. For nearly six months now, he has walked dogs for me, overlooked a messy house and meals uncooked for weeks on end, and even come out to man the water stops on some of our longer runs. I couldn't ask for a more wonderful, caring, or supportive husband. I love you, Schatz!
  
• And my amazing dad. Dad has taken care of Mom through fifteen years of chemo, hospital stays, bone marrow transplant hell (try putting on a full-body gown every time you want to visit your wife in the hospital!), illnesses and surgeries, and still managed to retain most of his sanity. He is the model every man should look to for true devotion and commitment to a wife. You're incredible, Dad. Love you.

And, finally, of course, Mile 13 (and .1 extra). There's only one person who can keep me going when all else fails, when I can no longer breathe and barely see, when my mental chanting is reduced to a faint I. LOVE. YOU. MOM. Yep, I'm dedicating Mile 13 and its hanger-on .1 to my mom, Pemle. Her courage and bravery motivated me to run 13.1 miles and hit up absolutely everyone in the known universe for money! She will be on my mind the whole race, but especially during that last 1.1 miles. She'll be there at the finish line tomorrow clapping and cheering for me. I can't wait to see her. I just hope I'll be able to make her out through all the tears in my eyes.