hey everone, alli here. This whole nike ipod thing is AWESOME! you guys have to check it out if you haven't. It really gets me running. the cool thing about it, it that after you run, you plug your ipod into the computer and it immediatly logs your run onto nike.com. it takes you right there. I was afraid it was going to be confusing, but it sooo cool and easy. you look up your runs, and it shows you on a grid your time, pace, everything. you can map runs throughout your neighborhood on the computer, and then you can see exactly how many miles that path is. You can also set challenges for yourself. like i challenged myself that i would run so many miles this week, and you can post it to the public, or keep it private. what would be cool, is if we all had it, we can kinda run together... we can make challenges for us together... like to see how many days it takes us to run a combined 100 miles. we can challenge other runners, or just see how other runners are doing. you can get in on teams too and set goals for yourself. you get rewarded too after running so many miles and things like that. It has really motivated me. my favorite part is your power song you set up on your ipod. if you need some major motivation, all you have to do is press the center button, and it plays your power song. All i have to say, is if you really need some motivation, i would highly recommend this nike + thing. It gets me really excited to run and then put it onto my computer to track. i love setting new goals each week! anyways, love you guys, i know we are all doing our best, i know i need all the help i can get!

Hello Out There?

Everyone who is still running, post your name and update your progress please! I'm feeling so alone!

Mom?
Sam?
Jess? I have to admit that I haven't ran in a while but I swear it is just one thing after another. About two weeks ago I tried and it went ok but my knees were still bothering me and then I got the nasty strep throat. I am FINALLY feeling better but things are a little hairy with Dustin's countdown to the bar. He takes it in a week and he is REALLY stressed. So basically I am living around his schedule to get all the studying in and I don't really know when he is going to be home. BUT I am going to try and go again this week not today though because it is Josey's birthday and I don't think it is going to happen but maybe if Dustin gets home early enough I will go tommorrow and update how I did. I am proud of you though it sounds like you are doing REALLY well! I don't know if you looked at Alli's email about that half marathon that we can run online together. What do you all think about that?
Katie?
Joan?

* Rebekah: 30+ min w/out stopping = about 7 miles/wk after caring for 4 kids ALL day BY MYSELF one of whom I'm breastfeeding and I'm 32!

* Alli: 30 minutes a day (in 100 degree weather) = about 8-10 miles/wk

The Color Purple

Okay so Dustin makes fun of the things that I record on our DVR because they aren't Ultimate Fighting or Man vs. Wild, which I will add are both shows that I like. I record fun stuff like Love vs. Age or So you think you can dance, you know the important stuff. BUT I recorded the movie The Color Purple the other day and I finally got to watch it tonight and I must say it is really one of my favorite movies I think. I don't know if anyone has seen it but I would highly recommend it. It made me miss my sisters so much and it really made me remember how strong our bond is as sisters. I love all of you so much, I really do and since Jeff might be reading this because apparently he has a secret wish to be a Francis Female (just kidding Jeff I love that you added something) you are included in this as well and I really mean that. The main character has a hard time standing up for herself and she is treated in the cruelest ways possible including being ripped away from her only sister and the only person that she loves and loves her. Her sister is the only person that you see her happy with for most of the movie and the only person that you see she feels comfortable with be herself. She is kept away from her sister for almost thirty years not even to receive a letter. Her sister continued to write for all those years but her SEVERELY abusive husband kept all the letters from her. She finally has the nerve after like twenty years or something with the help of a friend to look for the letters and find the letters that her sister wrote to her. She finds tons and tons of letters and begins reading them over the next month or so. It is amazing what happens to her. She finds herself and her voice, and she is able to stand up to her husband and leave him. Eventually her sister and she are reunited and believe me I was balling like a baby. BUT I couldn't help but think about how I related to the story. Of course there are huge differences in my life and the life of an abused southern black girl almost a hundred years ago, but the feelings that she has for her sister is the same way I feel about you all. All I want is to be near you guys and to have you close. I really feel like you are the people that truely understand me and that I feel completely safe with to be myself. You all give me the strength to be a strong woman. I don't know what I would do if I were barred from drawing on that strength. I love watching your lives and hearing your funny stories and knowing that we come from the same place. I think that her sisters letters and her life and the things that she was experiencing and living gave her the courage to live the way that she wanted to as well. This is how I feel. I watch all your lives and the choices that you all make that impress me and make me proud and I feel like I can do those things as well because we are the same. I know this was a random post but I just wanted to let you all know how much I love you. Go rent The Color Purple, Oprah is really good in it too, you forget that it is even her.

Long Live "The Face"!

I know I am probably not allowed on your blog spot being the brother in the family, but I just couldn't help but try and brighten your day by showing you this fantastic digitally re-mastered image that has been haunting my dreams for quite some time now. If you have not been blessed to have seen "the face", this is basically it. If you get your hand stuck in the mouth, there is no way that beak-like thing is letting go. It was very difficult to portray the horrific image that has captured my imagination for more than half my life, but I feel I have done it some justice. We all love mom, and long live "the face"!

i almost died today

the funniest thing ever happened to me this morning! Tanner and I have been staying at his grandparents since they're out of town, and they happen to have a little room off the side of their kitchen that has a tv and a treadmill. PERFECT. The only thing that stinks is that this room doesn't get any of the air conditioning, so it's always like 100 degrees inside. Anyways, I woke up early this morning to go for a run on the treadmill (I usually go outside, but tanner was home, and he doesn't like me to run outside... i usually have to sneak it! haha) i went into the little room and the door closed behind me and i ran for about 20 minutes and then needed to take a potty break. i thought i was going to pee my pants. I go to the door, and I am locked inside. I go to the other door, LOCKED, i go to the other door, LOCKED! all three doors to the outside world are locked from the outside. This room remember, is 100 degrees, AND i have to pee my pants.. BAD. I YELLED for tanner, banged on the windows, doors, walls, turned the tv up full blast. But Tanner was all the way in the basement sleeping. I was locked inside this little heat box for 20 MINUTES, yelling at the top of my lungs... HELP!!!! TAAANNNEEERRR!!! HEEELP! Finally he makes it to the door, and was like "I was wondering what all that banging was..." The funny thing about this story was that I had to go to the bathroom even BEFORE i went running, so imagine the pain I was in after 45 minutes of still needing to go. I was actually starting to look for something to go to the bathroom in. Yes, I am telling the truth. I had to go THAT bad. ok.... i guess i will tell you guys the truth, it wasn't just pee. So that was my ordeal with trying to do the right thing by waking up early and getting in a run. and look what happened. just wanted to share that with all of you. i thought it might give yuou a good laugh. oh, the things that happen to me on a daily basis.... i should write a book. Love you all, and hope your runs go a little smoother.

Hi all you marathoners out there. I finally went running again today for the first time in a couple of weeks as my right knee and right ankle were healing. It wasn't by any stretch of the imagination what someone would call "successful" BUT I was able to run a little bit. The ironic thing is that my right leg feels fine but it was my left knee that was bugging me this time. WHAT IS UP?!?!?!?! My left knee kept like hyper-extending or somthing when I would run normally and put pressure on it. So I was running with a little limp and subconsciuosly not putting all my wieght on that side. It felt good to run again though and I am anxious to see what the rest of this week brings. I feel like it is only a matter of time before something else hurts too bad to keep running but who knows maybe I will be pleasantly surprised. Anyway I wanted to let you ladies all know that I am seriously proud of you. Even if I don't end up running the marathon with you because of unjuries or pregnancies I want you to know how much I support everyone in this. If I am not running next you all crossing the finish line I will be on the other side waiting for you. Keep up the good work and I can't wait to see you all in a couple of weeks.