Adjusting the Fall Marathon

 So on July 4^th I ran a race with a local club.  It was an eight mile race in a nice neighborhood around a lake. I ran to Target on the third to buy some red shorts.   I neglected to write a race recap ( As I have also not done since March.  Ooops ,that’s five races).  It was humid but nice.  I ran into some friends from High School and met their little ones.  After the race I met a daily mile friend and bumped into a parent from the school I work at.  He introduced me to a few people and we chatted about his daughter, her college and running.  A week later when I went into work I had an e-mail from him asking a little more about my running plans and wishing me a good training season.  That was nice.  Did I mention that he works for ING? Well he does and guess what? Three weeks later he contacts me again…..They have their own family and friends lottery which he asked if I’d like to be entered!  No promises but a possible spot.  Hey I’m training for Hartford anyway. YES PLEASE!  This past Wednesday I got a call from Him and the good news. 

  

On November 4th I will be running the streets of all five boroughs of

New York City!  

I was driving to pick my kids up from my parent’s house.  I ran in the house to find a counter and sink being installed and my mother pulling her hair out.  I asked her where the computer was and took my nine month old niece out of her hands.  And there it was in my inbox, an invitation to run with team ING! Thanks to my previous lottery entry NYRR had all my info and within a few clicks I was receiving the confirmation e-mail to my phone!  I had to post above picture to face book of coarse too.  Baby girl drooled on my lap with delight.  I turned and told my father I expected him to pick out a good spot to cheer from the Bronx, cause I was running!

Commence operation pick up the boys and race to Michael’s baseball practice realizing his bat and helmet and glove were in the other car at the shop…… and there we were back to reality. 

BUT IT IS STILL AWESOME!!

Now I have adjusted my training back by three weeks (so much for that shorter traingin cycle I was hoping for) and realize that my vacation runs will be much better next week.  No 22 mile run the day after driving home from a Phillies night game?  Thank You!  Also, Hartford can still be run as a training run since it falls on my last long run week and calls for 26 miles.  Gotta think about that. 

Good bye Olympic Games

The Olympics are over tonight.  I love watching the Olympics.   I look forward to not only the events but the athlete profiles.  But man, I.  AM. TIRED!!  They have been keeping me up til midnight for the past two weeks.  They have kept my attention despite sometimes knowing who wins the gold.  They have me in awe.  They have me motivated.  At times I was surprised.  Who the heck knew there was Olympic Trampoline? They make it hard to get out of bed at 5:45 to run or get to work by 7.  It’s a good thing this only happens every few years.

I had a great time participating in Virtual Track Star.  I loved finding out how my time compares to the Olympians.  Apparently I would need to improve my 10k time by 19 minutes to make the next Olympic team.  That is insane!  Unfortunately due to the crazy humidity this week I never held the track meet for the kids I intended and did most of the short distances on the treadmill.  There was a lot of sweat and breathlessness. 

This morning I completed the Marathon portion with a twenty miler at 6am to avoid the heat.  I met my friend Beth and we ran the first 12 miles together. I ran the entire 17 mile trail and repeated a mile and a half out a back section to make up the difference.  I park in the middle of the trail and refilled my water two times.  Summer running in the northeast can be difficult.  I don’t know how you southerners do it month after month. 

Before my icebath I had my son take my picture with my score card.  Can you tell that my braids are dripping with sweat?  I peeled my clothes off and put them in the washer immediately. 

Happy, restful, Olympic free sleeping folks.  

Guess what? Now it’s Shark Week!  My husband is already watching.  I hope I don’t get sucked into that.