Here is a nice go-ahead-and-write-something-mom picture of Ruby.

She did not look like this yesterday.

She had more of this look about her.

Makes it hard to blog.  It was all I could do to eat a pint of salted caramel ice cream after she finally went to bed.  (PS.  I’m running Comrades in a tiny New Balance shirt, so that was the last pint of anything I’ll be downing before the race.  Sports bra challenge?  Hmm… I don’t know if I’m up for that sort of thing anymore.  I say that like I’ve ever actually followed through with it.  Maybe…)

I have managed to find a bit of motivation for my training.  Niki works with Girls on the Run, and I’m hoping to virtually take her group along with me.  I figure it’ll help me get my act together, and there’s a chance it could be inspiring.  “Look at that lady with the gray hair (and sports bra) running so far.  I could run that far.”  You never know.

Hey, isn’t the new website great!?!  Tim changed everything while I was off-line at MdS.  Thanks Tim!!!!  Now I just need to get some good races under my belt.  I talked with a friend yesterday, and I’m going to try using Prilosec on runs and see if that helps with my stomach. She thinks I might be dealing with some sort of reflux issue.  I’ll try anything at this point.

OK, I’ve got to get out the door and do some running.

Here are some beautiful pictures that Kirsten Kortebein took at MdS for irunfar.com.

She took a really good one of my wonderful and beautiful tent mate, Sarah.

Sarah was running for Clowns Without Borders.

“Clowns Without Borders (CWB-USA)  is a non-profit organization which offers laughter to relieve the suffering of all persons, especially children, who live in areas of crisis including refugee camps, conflict zones and emergency situations. We partner with individuals and organizations to bring small teams of professional performing artists to share performances and workshops with children and their families in refugee camps, conflict zones, or with communities who have experienced trauma or crisis.”

How excellent is that?  Sarah also wore a big flower that squirted water and had a skirt that lit up.  She packed some clown make-up too, but it didn’t survive the Saharan temperatures.   Probably just as well — Running into a clown in full make-up in the sand dunes would have been frightening.