Marathon Madness and Pony Love

I registered for the Illinois Marathon this weekend. If that wasn't enough, I also decided to sign up for the 5k iChallenge because I'm crazy. The iChallenge is new this year - it involves running a 5k the Friday night before the marathon (or half-marathon) and then running your race Saturday morning. You get extra medals/shirts for doing it - plus bragging rights and pride. I'm all over this - I'll just run an easy 5k as a mini warm up for the actual marathon. Is this crazy to do before my very first marathon? Maybe. But its a challenge (like the marathon isn't enough of a challenge???) and it is a new opportunity, so I'd like to do my part to support this because it really is a cool idea. This is my third year participating in the Illinois marathon/half-marathon madness - this is the third year and I've done the half the past two years, so I am very excited for this race. I'd like to say I just want to finish (which I do), but it is very difficult not to set a goal time. I operate completely on goal times and goal distances... it makes long runs sometimes not as much fun just because I am so focused on mileage and time goals... I am trying to be better. I think 4:30 will be my goal time and if I am completely off, then at least I WILL finish. I plan on ordering my PaceTat, because those are just fantastic. If you have never heard of it, here is the link: PaceTat.
I did my 9 mile run on Friday on the treadmill... I watched Sex and the City and Say Yes to the Dress... I get a little bored on the treadmill during longer runs, but once I get into a show, time sort of flies (sort of). I have a 10 mile run planned for this Friday or sometime this weekend - although I hear an ice/snow storm is supposed to hit and they are predicting 12 inches of snow, so I may be repeating my treadmill run instead of running outside.

I've been horseback riding Tuesday mornings this semester as well. I am lucky enough to 1. have a fiance whose family has horses, 2. have a fiance whose family has their own awesome indoor arena, 3. eventually live in the house 1/2 mile down the road from said indoor arena and horses (moving May 2012), and 4. eventually live in the house 1/2 mile down the road that also comes with a 4 stall barn for horses of our own.

It is a rough life sometimes, but I deal with it.

I've always loved horses (from afar since I was so involved with swimming my entire life). My closest encounter with horses was my annual hour long trail ride on my birthday and the occasional trail ride on vacations (my family really likes horses too). We just grew up in the suburbs where horses aren't easily accessible. I grew up with walls plastered with Horse Illustrated breed centerfolds and tons of Breyer horses and Grand Champion horses and My Little Ponies... the list goes on and on. Now, to have horses at my fingertips is almost too good to be true! Plus, their horses are very well trained since many are used for carts and combined driving. They only have Haflingers, which is a really neat breed and a great sized pony/horse (they are considered draft ponies, but their horses range in height from 13 hands up to about 15, so they technically have ponies and horses). Anyway, its all fantastic and I'm excited to get more involved in riding and horses once we graduate!

As for school... its still school. We still have class, I start surgery in a few weeks again, and are a little disinterested with the classes. Swine ends on Friday and we start Ruminant again, so I can't say it will get better (interest wise) for me, but we'll see :)