do i start every monday post the same way??

I HATE MONDAYS.
ok, now that i got that out in the open... like you carlie, my morning was a rough one. maybe it was all that cheese i ate at the fondue party we went to last night (when all you have to choose between is chocolate and cheese, what's a chocolate-hater to do?).
anyhow- i opted for the treadmill this morning and regretted it as soon as i stepped into that little oven of a gym. since i got started a little later than normal and the sun is actually shining, it was ROASTING in there. and owen was crying the whole time. maybe because it felt like we were in the sahara desert. and i accidentally reset the treadmill halfway through and so i'm not even sure if i made it the whole 40 min. yeah- like i said, i hate mondays.
anyhow - i did manage to run at a 10:30 mile pace most of the run, so that was good, but that's about all that was good.
on with the input:
as you all know, i am no expert on running and have never claimed to be. i know i dragged you all into this, but i really have no idea what i am doing. (sorry! did i forget to mention that?) the reason i liked the plan outlined in the book is that it is a 20 week plan, which sounded perfect to me. following a 10 or 12 week plan seemed way to quick to me, and since this is the only 20 weeker that i had seen, i went with it. again, i don't know or understand exactly how it is all supposed to work, but i agree that the jump to 90 min and to 110 next week scare the crap out of me. however, the thing that worries me a bit about hal higdon's plan is that there is only one rest day on his schedule (click here to see it) and i'm pretty sure that is going to be really tough to keep up with. granted, some of those days are cross training, but i soooo look forward to those days off. (am i the only one?)
i definitely want to do what everyone else does though. i really like being on the same page and even though we don't live close by, it feels like we are training together and like we will all be able to do this together come may since we have done the same thing. and i certainly want us all to make it there in one piece. to be totally honest, i have been more worried about not being prepared enough rather than overtraining, but that is just me.
so, brooke, since you are the one who has done this before, what do you suggest? can we somehow combine the 2 methods to form a schedule that we can all agree on? maybe just make a few adjustments to those long runs that seem too long and increase each long run by a mile (or 12-15 min) instead? maybe you can spearhead that brookie?
and as for the shirts, what do you guys think? i think it would be awesome to have shirts made, but i am pretty sure that if we do that, i will want to take pictures in them and stuff, but won't want to actually run the race in them. that being said, i don't want to spend a ton of money on a shirt that is just for the sake of being cute and team-like. am i the only one? just let me know what you guys want to do and i will be happy to take this on. if we make a shirt, do you plan on running in it the whole time?
ok, one last thing. i have another challenge for you all. hee hee. i challenge all of you to take at least one picture a week of yourself, your trail, your shoes, your injuries, whatever you can that has to do with your training and post it here. are you up for it? i know- you may think it will be humiliating, but i am excited to be able to look back at the journey and already i wish i had taken more pictures. (apparently i am a masochist). i am so glad to have this journal of sorts, but i think pictures will add a nice touch. (i'm also nervous that you will be so scared of me in all my sweaty glory on race day - i thought i'd warn you...) so, what do you think?? are you in???
here's my first entry:


i know what you're thinking... could she get any more beeeea-utiful? i mean check out those wings!



this is my "i hate mondays" face



this is my "act like you like this" face.

there you have it.