A LONG Birthday present

This year I gave myself quite the unusual birthday present... A 20 mile run.
I don't think I'll ever give myself such a present again. However, I did it! I ran 20 miles and I don't have to run longer than that until the marathon itself! That's the super happy part of that birthday present!
The run went pretty well. The day was going to be a hot one so I started early and put in five miles before Kim, a fellow Alaskan teammate, joined me. We did the bulk of the miles together. I've heard about things that happen to you as you get higher in the miles of a long run, but it was very weird to experience these things! At one point, Matt, the coach, asked us how far we both were in our run. It took me longer than normal to figure out what mile I was at and it was only mile 16! It should be quite humorous to see me at mile 22 or so in the race itself.
Post run, I celebrated my birthday by having lunch with my friend Stef and her son. I then gave myself a much better treat - a mocha memosa (a mocha frap, but much better!) from Hubbard & Craven's Coffee. When I arrived a work, I was given birthday greetings from many co-workers and one of them made me the best chocolate chip cookies!!!! YUMMY!