Gearing up for 13.1 miles!

In just 5 days, I'll be running my 2nd half marathon from Napa to Sonoma! According to Runners World, this event was voted Best Finish in 2007 since all runners are treated to a huge Wine and Music Festival at the end where we have all-access wine-tasting privileges. As much as I love the idea, I will probably forgo drinking wine at the finish b/c chances are, I will be super dehydrated and will have no desire to further intensify this physical state of exhaustion. I'm hoping, however, that the vendors will give us sample bottles to just take home or something..that would be Sa-WEET! Either way, I still plan on visiting some lovely vineyards in the Healdsburg/Sonoma area to do some wine-tasting of my own. If you have never been, I would recommend Sonoma over Napa any day because the latter, in my opinion, has became way too commercialized and snooty. Sonoma, however, retains its country charm and many of its vineyards are still family owned and operated....plus, they are very friendly. If you like white wines, two of my favorites are Passalacqua and Mauritson Vineyards. And suprisingly, the Kendall Jackson vineyard estate not only features great reds and whites, but the grounds itself is so picturesque.

Thus, with less than a week away, this past weekend I attended CCFA's final group training in SF where we trekked 6 miles across the Golden Gate Bridge! Note to self: Do not eat CornNuts for breakfast on race day! I went against my better judgment and inhaled a handful of the tasty morsels before becoming uncomfortably bloated halfway through my run. I couldn't help but laugh b/c I knew I should have never done such a stupid thing! Where do my cravings come from? What a nut!

I've also realized that I'll be missing my 5th MGMAT session because the race expo will be in Sonoma on Saturday and I have to show up in person to get my bib number and timing chip. But thank you MGMAT for make-up sessions. I think it's for the better since I get to attend the Sunday class in August and the instructor is way cool! My GMAT studies have been progressing steadily. So far, so good. I have been keeping track of my mistake patterns and it pretty much boils down to 2 things: 1) careless arithmetic mistakes and 2) incorrect rephrasing of problems. Otherwise, all I need more of is practice. I will be completing my 2nd CAT test this week, so I'm a bit anxious to see my progress to date. Wish me luck!

And thanks to Clear Admit for their post, I've also signed up to attend the Wharton info session on August 5th. Coincidently, it is also the day I'll be flying down south for business, but I anticipate getting back in time to make the commute into the city for the session. If this goes well, I will opt out of the August 14 session I had originally signed up to attend. Oh, the opportunities that abound.