9 miles is the new 10...

At least that's what I'm saying after my long run last weekend!

I managed to brave the freeways and make it to another group run last Saturday.  Our small group of "the slow kids" did 9 miles together, I'm so proud of all of us.  As I fell into conversation with different people throughout the run, I discovered that many of them are training for the Portland Marathon as their first race.  Crazy!  Crazy brave!  After over a month of working with this Team Oregon coaching staff, I actually have a great deal of confidence that we'll make it to the start line AND the finish line.

Our run this last week started at Road Runner Sports out in Tualitin, and took us up the same crazy hill from a few weeks ago.  I felt really strong for the first 7 miles, and then started feeling my legs fatigue during the last two.  Fortunately, we all run slow enough together that I was able to maintain pace and not fall behind. 

At the halfway point we stopped at our first (well, my first) aid station.  Water, some green energy drink and RED VINES!!! 

What?? We get to eat CANDY out here?!?!  Let's run every day!

I'm going to start bringing gummi bears with me when I run, and giving myself a gummi bear for each mile.  This should prove to be both yummy and awesome.  I'll just have to figure out where to store them so they don't melt into a gooey-gummi-bear puddle.  That would be sad... and gross... and sticky.

In other news - I've recently decided to join my friend Cheree Hayes as an Arbonne consultant.  More news to come, but the short version is;

Cheree introduced me to Arbonne's stuff about 6-7 months ago.  All of their skin/body care products are vegan, and free from gnarly cancer-causing & hormone altering chemicals (which I have since learned are in ALL the products I was using before... bleh!).  They're made without all that junk because they're formulated in Switzerland, where they have better rules about what you can put in skin care products.  (I'm still grossing out every time I remember the episode of "Dirty Jobs" with Mike Rowe, where they followed the guys who pick up dead cows and take them to be "rendered" and turned into a goop that goes into beauty products.)

Anyways - I started using it, fell in love and talked with Cheree about the business opportunity available through Arbonne.  It's so exciting to have a way of contributing to our family income, still being able to stay home with Ethan, AND getting to use my favorite stuff (my shampoo smells like a smoothie!) that I've hardly been able to sleep at night. 

That's all.  I'll keep you guys posted!