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(1) donate my hair, and then maintain polished short hair for the rest of the year

I’ll be getting a haircut in June, but this was kept up for May. Hurray!

(2) take a real vacation

Bigger details are settled, now we’re just waiting to GO!

(3) be a successful professor

I had such an amazing time teaching and it seemed like my students sincerely liked the class. I believe I was successful. I’m going to hold off on marking this resolution complete, though, until I see my anonymous student evaluations. Assuming there’s no glaring surprises in it, I think I’ve succeeded.

(4) eliminate the need for a vcr in my house

If only my husband’s movies weren’t SO awful! Haven’t budged on this yet.

(5) donate at least a half gallon of blood (four pints)

I’m donating in June.

(6) kick Chase to the curb with a successful transition to the credit union

Yep.

(7) put together a recipe box

Still haven’t budged.

(8) try one new easy weekday and one new ambitious weekend recipe per month

I think we did this in May, but by now it’s all a haze.

(9) drink soda only once a month

Yep.

(10) bring lunch to work three times per week

Yep.

(11) see improvement at the dentist

Still doing great.

(12) see friends more often (outside of work)

The highlight this past month was a get-together for my husband’s birthday. Hurray!

I still can hardly believe it, but I finished today’s race in less than five hours, with a few minutes to spare.

The race conditions were perfect – overcast, cool, and a little mist in the air. The course was nice, and support was plentiful. My stomach cooperated. My hydration plan was also better honed than my first marathon; I stopped for a portable once, but only because there was no line. It probably was stitch in time for me, but I also suspect I could have done the whole race without it. Still, that decision saved me from risking waiting in a long line later on.

From the beginning I knew I’d be cutting it close, but felt solid in my pace and just went with it. I’m still somewhat amazed that it actually worked out. Every decision I ever made, in training, in past runs, and especially today in race day, got me to this point. I am incredibly proud.

I was really hoping the marathon would have a 5:00 pace group, but the website shows that they stop at 4:40. Boo!
I think it’s almost a guaranteed thing that even in perfect racing conditions, a settled stomach, and great crowds, I won’t hit <5:00 this race. I just didn’t put enough of myself into training this time.
But I’m still going to hope to put myself out there and see what happens. I’m saving up a week or two of “Wait Wait” to flip on around the 10mi mark, and might hit up my favorite Rolling Stones songs for the last hour or so—just have to keep the motivation moving up to and in between those moments! :)