Saturday I ran better than 15 1/2 miles, from the San Leandro Marina to the San Mateo Bridge and back. It's a nice run, right along the bay, weaving between channels and running over wooden bridges. The breeze off the water ROCKS on hot days, although there's no drinking water out on the trail and no shade. My shoulders burned through SPF 45! But I saw a flock of pelicans.

And I PASSED A GUY! This is exciting, not because I wanted to hit on him, but because I never used to pass anyone on my runs. As I passed him heading south, he jokingly told me I was making him look bad. To make him feel better, I said, "It's okay. I'm training for a marathon." He says, "Me, too." As if that didn't inflate my ego enough, I ran out a couple miles further than him, turned back, caught up to him, and passed him AGAIN! I've never been fast before. I always just liked running for its own sake - not because I was ever any good at it. I really didn't care that I was always the 6th (last) runner on the cross country team. Even as a senior, the skinny, prepubescent freshmen could outrun me. It's weird in a very gratifying way to be outrunning men now!

So, also this weekend, my friend Christy came over to help me stuff envelopes with pledge forms (GOOD FRIEND!). We listened to music and ate ice cream while we stamped, sealed, and stuffed. It was very comforting in a ritualistic sort of way, putting this mailing together with a friend. I'm so proud and excited about each little envelope. I'm sending them off into the world tomorrow. Then will come the waiting for the responses to start arriving in my rented mailbox. I love getting mail!

-Jen