Money Management Or Mind Games?

A most fabulous way to spend Rest Day is by having a lunch date with my hubby and leader of the Pit Crew! Woo-Hoo!! At lunch, I got a fortune cookie. Check out what it said:

Outwardly, I acted as though this was oh-so appropriate given the Half Marathon is in 11 days. (Eleven?! How'd that happen?! Anyway ...) But, in my head, I gave myself a big ol' *sigh*, and here's why: The course for this particular event is notoriously mean in terms of hills. They're steep (but not steep), and they're inarguably long. For various reasons, this year's course has changed three times since I registered which is enough for me to just bag it in terms of thinking it through and understanding what's coming. (I tried to think last year's through based on the map, and I got it all kinds of wrong, so I decided to use the Ignorance Is Bliss strategy this year ...)

BUT! (You know where this is going; curiosity killed the cat and all.) I decided there was one hill in particular I needed to check out. I have mixed emotions now having done so:

Here we are almost at the bottom, so,
we're looking up. There's a bit more behind me,
but this was the safe place to pull over, and I am a safety girl.

Oh, look at that. It keeps going.
Ouch.

Oh, but, wait. There's more!
I'm thinking the puppy pace will
have slowed wayyyyy down by here ...

... and that's okay because look what's at the
top of the hill! A hotel! Ta-Da! How convenient.
Just in case...

And, if we're really hungry, there are other accommodations
at the top of the hill, too ... if they have Diet Coke, I'm in!

Looking back DOWN the hill was far more
appealing ... not an option, but appealing!

I did clock this stretch upward, and it's a half mile. Good news: that's half the distance it felt when I was experiencing it in the car. Alternative news (see how I'm staying positive?): it's a half mile up.

I often read about how many runners have a mantra they repeat to themselves during a long run. You know, something inspirational to keep 'em going. I've also often joked that I tend to get more of my money's worth out of a run than do those who blow through in record time because, after all, I'm on the course longer. Shoot, that's just good home economics.

Therefore, on this stretch, I think I will adopt the following mantra: "Gettin' my money's worth ... Gettin' my money's worth ..." This is the part of the course where I need to come upon a penny or two. THAT would be poetic.

I'll let you know how that turns out.