Rest day on the plan.  Suuper nice out so I was gonna ride with jszat.  There's stuff I want to make sure I do later this week, so I decided to nix the ride and be home helping the Mrs.  Turned out to be a great decision...b/c I was around she was able to head to my son's school and hear him do announcements today.  Not a huge deal anymore, but Denise enjoyed getting a chance and was appreciated.

So, count this as a random act of husband-ness and fatherhood.  Got some much-needed husband points in the bank for my next wacked out early morning key/garage door/GD knows what else fiasco that wakes up the entire house.  ;)  Husband-points are about all I can hope for anyway for the next 4.2 weeks (not that I'm counting or anything).  BA-DUM BUMP.  Easy ladies, juuuust kidding.

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1/2 mary thoughts.  I have a "goal" of 1:40, which is about a 7:38 pace.  I honestly don't know if it's realistic.  I'm fairly certain through 10 I can maintain a pace in that area.  After that, I'm not sure.  As background, I ran a 1:47 last year, though it was an epic battle and way outside my norm at the time.   I ran hundreds of miles this winter with this race in mind.  About 10-weeks ago I realized I was running a lot, but nothing was changing.  I needed help.  Hired TH3-FRB (Joel) here on BT to assist me in prepping for the race.  At that time, I desperately wanted someting in the 1:30s.  He put some fantastic plans together for the 10-weeks and taught me a ton about different running drills, workouts, speed, intervals, tempo, LSD, etc.  Nothing I haven't read here and there, but someone putting it together personalized for you is a huge benefit. 

I was rocking that plan through tough weather conditions.  Unfortunately, it sorta unraveled a bit near the end with a vacation and my wife's hysterectomy.  I missed probably 2 very key long runs.  I've got the distance without a problem...it's maintaining a pace for that distance that will be tough.  I feel I could rock a 10K or perhaps a 15K with the fitness I have.  I don't think I gave Joel enough time to extend my fitness past that, and I missed too many of his KEY workouts.  Long runs aren't stong negative splits...they're good, solid runs until a burnout around 9 or 10 miles, and then an epic shuffle/painful heavy legged run into the finish.

So, given the above, I'm gonna be satisfied with beating the 1:47.  REALLY want to approach 1:40 as an ultimate goal.  Sub 1:40 would be epic but highly unlikely.

Some questions for the gurus...

-I wear the fuel belt, right? Do you fast mary folks wear your fuel belt on those races?

-Since I feel weak on my ability to do a negative split, should I bank some faster early miles and hope for an epic struggle that works out, or do what Joel suggests, and work toward a negative split by starting slow?

-What do you peeps eat for breakfast in the AM?

-I find gels make me very thirsty.  Otherwise I don't know if I feel much difference one way or another when I use them.  They do not cause GI issues, just thirst.   Joel is advocating many gels throughout the race.  Do you peeps agree or does everyone get thirsty like that?  Do you notice something when you take them, or is it just a maintenance thing?

Thanks all for reading...

Back to the MD yesterday.  Denise still not able to eat and then process food comfortably.  He looked, and everything is a-ok, so it's just her digestive system adjusting.

Some more yummy chicken breasts wrapped in bacon courtesy of jszat last night.  mmmm mmmm gooood.

Denise is improving, thank God and thanks to your prayers.  I cannot thank all of you enough one more time for your thoughts and well-wishes. 

Able to move around better and get out and drive for a short bit yesterday.  Had a FANTASTIC dinner thanks to the jszat family last evening.  That put us over the hump and I think things are gonna ramp up from here.  Feels good to have some optimisim. 

Selfish note...felt good to be in the gym too.  Man, when I don't get in good work-outs, I just have an underlying crabby-ness that will not subside.

Denise went to bed feeling shatty and slept like a rock.  A whole new person this morning.  YEA!!!!  I/we've been waiting for this...sorta the breakthrough day in her recovery that we'd hoped for.  Obviously it's early in the day and perhaps I'm being a bit optimistic.  Thanks again for all your thoughts and offers of assistance from the local BT peeps.  That is amazing that people I've barely met have come through with offers of assistance and other stuff.  Cool.  I hope I can repay the favor somehow.

Big props to jszat, who has helped me immesnely fitness-wise over the year, came through with some chicken and pasta salads from V.Richards, a local highly regarded deli/high-end grocery store around here.  Thanks man, you're the best.  Coming at a good time as the cupboards were starting to get bare. 

Denise is gonna attempt to pick up the kids from school today, which is a step toward recovery.  I'm still gonna do the rest of the PM activities, but that's a start.