Alicia's news....

That is AWESOME guys!!! It will definately help that you guys have eachother to work out with. When I got to Chad's I told him what I was planning on doing. His first reaction was that he didn't think I would keep up with the training. I was like where's the positive thinking?! He said well, I really hope you do and he thinks that I can, but he knows me and how I make all these goals for myself and then I give up really easily. So he gave me a little incentive. He told me that if I did all of the training and finished the race he would give me $100. But he is also going to be constantly on my case as to if I am really doing the training......which is a good thing. When I told Amber about it she had the same reaction!! But you know what? That is my reason for doing it. Everyone that I've told (I'm sure you guys too) knows me and has their doubts about me actually going through with this. So that is all the more reason to prove everyone else, myself included, wrong. I CAN DO THIS!!!! I think it will really make me feel good about myself. Which was really my goal for this year anyway. I know that I will probably have to work the hardest because I will basically be training on my own, but that will make the end that much more rewarding!! And I was thinking that for as many of the long runs as possible I was going to try to come over to Edwardsville anyway. Because those are the ones that I'm going to have the most trouble with. I'm actually really excited now! And I'm glad that we are all doing this together.

About Chad....
He is definately going now. They don't know exactly when, but it will be sometime this fall. Probably October or November. We will find out more about that as the year goes on. The good news is that he won't actually be over seas for a full year. The training, which will take place in the states, is included in the year. I was actually very proud of myself. I was afraid that I would just break down when he told me, but I had been expecting it so I managed to hold it together. I'm just going to try not to think about it. I mean if I dwell on the fact that he will be leaving then I will just be waisting the time that we have together. We have almost a year before he has to leave so I'm just going to enjoy it! I know it will be hard, but we will be able to get through it. I'll keep you guys updated. Love you all!!!