Ready to Run

I'm in the last week of training for the Broad St run and the only thing I have to do is run the race. I'm very confident i'll be able to run the 10 miles in 90 minutes. Only concern is the crowd slowing down the pace to start off. I've had to shift around runs due to being sick and painful blisters but I ran the 8 miler in 95 degree weather and it was brutal, but i made it. I've prepared myself to cope with the blisters with moleskin on the hotspots. My concern beginning this was re-injuring my ankle, but things seem to be holding up, knock on wood. I have one 2 mile run to go then Sunday is the race. As for the Baltimore marathon, Ali and I have decided to train for the half-marathon. Marathon training is a big time suck, and we do not have the time to spare this summer with wedding planning. I think once we complete the Broad St Run, training for the half-marathon will be the same. It's extended by a few weeks and a few miles but nothing I cannot handle. I think the plan is to train for a full marathon in the spring of 2010.

Over the past month we checked off a few things we had planned to do. We combined back accounts so now we have a joint savings and checking account. This will make budgeting much easier since it will be all in one. We have been open thus far with our finances, and from what I reading is the key to a successful future. We also purchased our wedding rings as well as plane tickets to Brasil. I'm taking care of the expenses for the rings and plane tickets so I probably won't be able to contribute to the savings until June. I had to withdraw $1,500 to cover the plane tickets and plan on using what I could save in May for the rings which were a little over $600. I know we won't be able to save the $20,000 without being reliant on the wedding money. Fingers crossed we get enough as well as I should be getting a 6-month review sometime in May/June timeframe.

A few weeks ago we received a "good faith estimate" for a mortgage loan. GFE is the term referred to a HSA loan. Our broker used $200,000 as the estimate and we definitely qualify for everything. We could purchase a home now with 3% down, but we are still planning on putting down 10%. As for where, it's constantly changing but I think it is between: Hampden, Woodberry, Upper Fells/Butcher's Hill area. We were throwing around Balt Co vs Balt City but I think we are going with the city. Even though taxes are more, and houses will be smaller its a good first home. I think it will be good to cut down on utilities as well as outdoor maintenance. I also want to live in the city and enjoy walking to restaurants, bars, grocery stores, etc.