I want to do everything, but my debit card says otherwise

It is going to be a phenomenal summer, especially since I am now doing a 40K at Hocking Hills, I think I just got talked into doing the Ohio/Indiana Tough Mudder (more on that later), and of course training for the Columbus Marathon with MIT.

But, I'm just a single gal living off a reporter's salary in Ohio, and some of these events cost mucho dinero, especially with gas at $4 a gallon. (And at some point I need to buy some new furniture, and a new DVD player/Netflix streamer, and a new phone, and a new laptop, and and and...)

So, today I decided to bow out of Hood to Coast. I'm sad to do it, there are some really phenomenal people on the Spark team and I've always wanted to visit Oregon. After looking at the costs, in order to do Hood to Coast I basically would have to bow out of every other event here in Ohio. It's something I would have considered, except the Coasties and Ghosties have 11 alternates lined up, so I figured I'd let someone else have fun there while I tromp through the woods, the mud, and the streets of Columbus here at home, hopefully with my partner in crime!

After all, I'm young, there will be plenty of other opportunities! 

Cinco de Julio Cuatro Miler

I'm making a new addition to my race schedule, the Cinco de Julio Cuatro Miler race July 9. Why? It just looks like fun! Plus I get a free entry because I volunteered at Cap City! 

I'm really excited -- my race schedule lines up perfectly with my training schedule!

July 9 there are six miles on the schedule, so I'll do a 2-mile warmup to the 4-mile race.

My share of Hood to Coast is 18 miles. There are 18 miles on the schedule that weekend!

The Hocking Hills Indian Run has a 20K distance, just over 12 miles. That week, I have 12 scheduled!

The only races that don't fit are the Warrior Dash, which I have no intention of taking seriously -- I'm going to do the full seven the day before, and the triathlon relay, which I will have to figure out since I want to run that well. I'm scheduled for 10 the day before. In the relay I'm doing a 5K. 

Summer lineup

After a week of doing virtually nothing I'm trying to get back in the swing of things. I took the dogs for a good walk with some hills Friday, made like a floundering fish and jumped in the Y pool Saturday and Sunday, and did spinning, some lifting and ran a whopping one mile at a 12 minute pace yesterday. I'm shooting for spinning and lifting today and tomorrow, and then I'm going to jump into the MIT training schedule Saturday with 6 miles.

The good folks at Fleet Feet Sports have another pair of Mizuno Precisions ready for me to pick up Saturday, at 20% off plus a free pair of socks! My ultimate goal is to run the Columbus Marathon Oct. 16 in under 4:20. I'd like to beat a 10:00 pace so that should do it. I'm going to stick with MIT and their training plan, and keep going with the 10:30s.

But until then I have a few other plans. At some point I need to update my Daily Mile upcoming races!

My other goal this summer is to PR in a 5K. My time to beat is 24:27, set Jan. 1 of this year, I'd love to bring it under 24, that's a 7:44 pace.

JUNE 5 Warrior Dash -- I'm really stoked for this one! I'm doing it with my MIT friend Beth, Spark friend Sara and college friend Evelyn, in the 5 p.m. wave Sunday. We need to figure out ... something... costumes, war paint... something! It's in Hocking Hills, a 5K race, but with cargo nets, a mud puddle, a wind tunnel and a scrapyard to climb through, it's safe to say this won't be a PR contender! So instead I'll just toss back a few and have some fun.

Myself, Abbey and Anna.

JULY 17 Greenswell Triathlon relay -- Meet the Manic Mojos, comprised of myself and all-star Newark Advocate reporters Abbey Roy and Anna Sudar. We're doing a short triathalon relay at Alum Creek, women only, for breast cancer research. Since the run is the third leg, I don't know if this would be the best shot for a PR, either, but it will be a good time.

AUG. 26-27 Hood to Coast -- I am a proud member of Coasties and Ghosties of Sparkpeople.com. I'm stoked, and nervous, given that I've never met my 11 teammates before! It will be two days in Oregon, 197 miles starting at the top of Mt. Hood and running to the ocean. It's coming up fast, time to start planning my trip!

SEPT. 17 Hocking Hills Indian Run -- This was my first 10K, and my first trail run, last year, and I am definitely going back. Not sure on the distance yet, probably a 20K or a 40K, I'll compare it to my training schedule later and do what fits.

So, I still need to find a good 5K. I have a free entry for an M3S event, and there's something called the Bull Run in Columbus Aug. 6 that looks fun!

As long as the legs hold up, it's going to be a good summer!

Further proof that I am completely out of my mind

Who agrees to travel across the country a year in advance to then climb into a van with complete strangers and run 6 miles three times, most likely in the middle of the night, down a mountain and to the beach. Who, I ask you, who?

**Sheepishly raises hand**

Hood to Coast teams are selected by lottery. Here's my logic. I never win anything, ever ever ever. So, if I see something I really want to do I better start entering now to further improve my odds of getting in down the road.

But when I woke up this morning, this was in my inbox...

Gulp... 

*Giggles with excitement*