AudreyPodrey.com

I usually run alone.

I’m trying to get back into running, though, and lately i have run a few times in a group.  I’m learning why this is good and bad.

When i run alone, i have no accountability to anyone else.  I can run at my own pace.  Stop and walk up hills if i want.  Bring the dog.  And i don’t feel guilty about any of it.

Last week i did a track workout in a group.  Guess what?  I ran faster and longer than i would have on my own.  I spent most of the time trying to keep up with Cindy & Frank.  And then when they did finally leave me in the dust, i spent the rest of the time trying to catch them.  I didn’t give up.  I didn’t just run at my own pace.

Monday night, a bunch of us helped $Bill celebrate his 42nd birthday by running 4.2 miles with him.  What a great run it was!  (Especially the part where he bought us a beer after - thanks Bill!)  But again, i pushed myself.  The pace was a little faster than i would have gone on my own, but i went with it.  There were more hills than i wanted to run up, but i ran up them.

All in all, i like this trend of running with people who will cause me to push myself.  I know i’ll still do runs on my own with the dog, but i’m looking forward to more group runs this running season.

The morning of the race dawned clear and beautiful.  The sun was just rising as we left the house at 6:40 and headed for the start.  I had the luxury of getting dropped off right next to the start by Suzanne, who comes to races and supports Jeff.  That was a super-nice convenience - thanks, Suzanne!

It was around 55 degrees - chilly but not unbearable in my short sleeves.  Jeff and i edged our way up to the 10:00-12:00 “corral” - they started us in waves to keep things a little more sane that having 3500 people all start at once.  (So there was one gun for the elite runners, a second gun for sub-7 minute miles, a third gun for 8-10 min miles, etc.)  This was my first experience with the wave start, and i have to say i really liked it.  Anyway, we went up to our “corral” and i noticed a guy holding a sign that said 2:30.  I asked Jeff if he was a pacer, and he confirmed it and told me there should be a 2:15 pacer as well.  I said i wanted to find that group and try to stay with them, so we did.

I had in my head that i wanted to run this race in 2:20.  Where did i get this number?  Well, i took 1:45, which was my time for the Tobacco Trail 10-miler and simply added 35 minutes, which seemed like a reasonable additional 5K time after already having run 10 miles.  It’s also 12 minutes faster than my first half marathon two years ago.

After seeing the 2:15 pace group, though, i decided i would try to run with them, and if i fell behind near the end, then maybe i would still make 2:20. Due to the awkward start, i got pushed ahead of the pace group, though.  So i figured i’d try to keep up with them whenever they caught me.

Mile 1: 9:51.  Wished Jeff good luck and we took off.  I was cold at first, but overall it was a good start.  It was really nice not to have a bunch of people going too fast, and a bunch of other people walking and having to dart around them.  I was just automatically running with people about my same pace.  I was running a bit faster than is usual for me.

Mile 2: 9:50.  Settled into a good pace.  It was definitely fast for me, but it felt good.  It didn’t feel like i was pushing myself beyond my limits, so i just went with it.  We turned into one of the side neighborhoods and ran briefly along the sound.  A charming spectator pointed to the bridge in the distance, saying “there’s the bridge - go get it!”  It looked SO far away.

Mile 3: 9:48.  I knew i had had two good first miles, so i thought if i had a good third mile i might even beat 30 minutes for a 5K.  Alas, i didn’t quite make it, but almost!

Mile 4: 10:13.  I don’t remember too many specifics about the next few miles.  I had found my groove running mostly sub-10 minute miles.  The sun was VERY shiny, i do remember that.  I also remember thinking at the end of mile 4 that i was one-third finished.  At the time, that made me happy.

Mile 5: 9:58.  I think this mile was through neighborhoods again.  The people were very supportive; it was awesome.  I high-fived several kids.  There were also some cheesy signs with jokes and facts about the Outer Banks on them.

Mile 6: 9:51.  6 miles in less than one hour!  I was totally stoked.  I realize the 2:15 pacers haven’t caught me yet, and i feel a little bit as i imagine Cindy and $Bill do when they do their hare-chasing runs (or whatever it’s called when you try to time it so everyone finishes at the same time), and you don’t want anyone to pass you.  I still feel great.

Mile 7: 9:59.  During this mile it seemed i passed a lot of people.  I overheard one pair talking about how they were at 1:06 and would be happy to finish in 2:12.  My clock said 1:02, so i knew i had caught up to some folks in the corral ahead of me, and i guess i was passing the slower folks in that wave.

Mile 8: 10:15.  It was time to start thinking about the bridge.  I could see the bridge, but couldn’t see the high part of it.

Mile 9: 10:27.  Rounded a corner.  THERE’S the bridge.  It looks imposing.  I can feel the pavement change as we step onto the bridge.  There’s a long flat part before the uphill part ahead.  I see a small sign taped to the railing that says “I’m not that bad, Love, The Bridge.”  It makes me smile.

Mile 10: 10:39.  In truth, the bridge really was not that bad!  While i was running it, i thought how glad i was that i had trained on hills, especially saving the hills for the ends of my runs.  This bridge wasn’t really difficult compared to how i have felt during training runs.  I’m sure the adrenaline helped.  And the ocean breeze, which was awesome.  I made a point to really look around and admire my surroundings at the crest of the bridge.  It really was beautiful all around.

Mile 11: 10:46.  The beginning of this mile was still on the uphill of the bridge, but a good portion of it was downhill.  The bridge took a lot out of me, and i had to really kick myself to take advantage of the downhill.  “Audrey, it’s downhill!  Stop pussyfooting around!”  I just wanted to slow down.  I did take advantage of the downhill, but by the end of this mile, i was getting pissed.  My feet hurt and i wanted it to be over.  I no longer cared about my pace or my time.  I only cared enough to keep myself from stopping and walking.

Mile 12: 11:29.  I really had issues with my breathing and with my head during this mile.  I seemed to be around a lot of people who were loud.  Talking loud, loud earphones, loud breathing, loud feet.  And i was damn tired!  I could not find a rhythm, and it shows in my time for this mile.  But i didn’t walk!  I may have been really slow, but the only thing i cared about was not walking.  The stupid jokes on the side of the road helped.  For example, there was a sign that asked, “What do you call a Fat Chimpanzee?”  You had to run a bit to get to the answer sign, “A Chunky Monkey!”  Some of the jokes were pretty bad, but it was just enough to keep you going.

Mile 13: 10:50.  I finally just pushed everything out of my mind and concentrated on my breathing here.  My feet still hurt, but once i got away from the loud people, i could breathe along with my own steps.  IN-2-3-OUT-2-3.  It helped a lot.  Towards the end of this mile i heard some exuberant people coming up behind me.  Two or three runners were shouting encouragement and calling out the times.  I wondered if this was the 2:15 pace group, but i was too tired to turn around and look.  However, as they gained even more on me, i saw the 2:15 sign out of the corner of my eye.  Yep, it was them.  I told myself “I have stayed in front of them the whole race - i’ll be damned if i let them pass me now!”  It gave me the encouragement i needed to give one final push to the finish.

Final time: 2:14:50.  I would have cried for joy if i had had any moisture or salt left in my body.  I had that “happy-cry” feeling though, as i crossed the finish line in under 2:15.  I was ecstatic.  I beat my goal time by 5 whole minutes.

It was a great race - i was really impressed with the organization of the whole thing, and with the volunteers, who were awesome.  Congratulations to everyone!

It’s Friday afternoon, and the week is finally over.  I’m all packed and ready to go - I’m heading to the beach for the weekend, where i’ll meet some new friends and run a new race.  I kiss the boyfriend and the pupton goodbye and get on the road.

Usually when i’m driving on the highway, especially when the traffic is sparse, i’ll turn on the cruise control.  I think this is fairly common.  My speed is constant, and others’ speeds are fairly constant.  So i pass people, or others pass me.  Completely normal.

I was about 90 minutes into my drive when i noticed some headlights coming up behind me.  This is nothing unusual.  I’m pretty much alone on the road, but this guy’s just going faster than me.  Whatever.  He starts to pass me on the left, but when he pulls even with me he stops passing.  Now he’s right next to me and going the exact same speed.

I glance over and note it’s a red SUV.  I can’t see the driver.  He appears to be alone.  I’m quite sure it’s a “he”, for some reason.

I’m uncomfortable with this.  If we’re going to go the same speed, let’s just play follow the leader, ok?  I’ve done this before, just found someone to follow, and i’ve been the one who has been the leader also.  But driving side-by-side is freaking me out.

The speed limit is 70 and we’re going about 72.  First i decide to slow down a bit and let him pass me.  He slows down, too, and we’re still side-by-side.  So i think, OK, i’ll go faster - i nudge the cruise control up to about 74.  He keeps pace.  I nudge it up to 76.  He still keeps pace.  Then he flashes his brights.  I don’t know what that means.  I nudge it up to 78, and i still can’t pass him.  Now we’re going faster than i want, so i slow way back down to 70.  He flies ahead.

I let him go a little bit, then reset my cruise back to my normal cruising speed of 72.  I see him merge back into the right lane.  OK that’s better.

Before i know it, though, i’m coming up on him; he has slowed down again.  I switch to the left lane to pass him, thinking, OK he must have decided that was too fast.  As i’m passing, again he speeds up to about 75 as i’m passing, so i have to go even faster in order to pass him.  We travel for about a mile where he’s 3/4 car length behind me.  This is RIDICULOUS, and i’m getting pissed off.  I kick it up so i can really leave him behind me, and i do.

He flashes his lights at me again after i’m in front of him.  I still don’t know what this means.  When he comes up behind me yet again, and draws abreast with me, and flashes his lights, i have had it.  I don’t know what to do.  And then he swerved.  Ever so slightly,  but in my direction.  Maybe it was an accident.  But i was completely freaked.  I was convinced there was a crazy red SUV stalker that i hadn’t heard about, and if only i’d turn on my radio i would hear the news.  Except then i think to myself “in the movies, whenever people in cars get ambushed, they are always listening to the radio.”  So i don’t turn the radio on.

I slowed down a lot.  He slowed down a bit with me, but as i was now traveling significantly under the speed limit, he went ahead.  He was only a few hundred yards in front of me when i noticed my exit was coming up.  I made sure he was in front of me a good ways before i took my exit, lest he veer at the last second to follow me.  But it seems we have parted ways.

There is another vehicle behind me at this point.  He sticks to me like glue.  This is more normal - lots of cars are “followers” where they just want someone to follow.  He stays with me through several changes of the speed limit, always adjusting to my speed.  I have to admit, i was keeping my eye on him after the red SUV incident, but he was following at a normal distance most of the time.  And no weird flashing of lights.

Then i saw something weird ahead.  I was coming up quickly on an odd sight and at first i couldn’t tell what it was.  It turns out it was someone on a scooter driving like 30 mph.  The speed limit was 55 and i was going 60, so i quickly halved my pace.  The car behind me did too.  I was “stuck” in between the car behind me and the scooter; i was afraid to pass the scooter, because so often in those situations, the cars behind you will veer around you quickly.  But this car just stayed behind me while we went 30 mph.

Now i started to think that maybe the car behind me was the red SUV after all.  Who wouldn’t go around a car that was only going 30 mph in a 55 mph zone?  Why wasn’t he passing me?  Did a different car pass me before, and the red SUV followed me all this way?  I think i would have noticed, but i started to second guess myself.

When it became clear the car behind me was just going to follow me, i passed the scooter and sped back up, with my tail doing the same.  Within two miles i saw a Bojangles, and thought “ah, i actually am kind of hungry.”  And besides, it should get this guy off my back.  As i am turning in, i swear he starts to follow me, but then changes his mind.  I have no idea if the two police cars in the parking lot have anything to do with it, but am gratified to see them.  It was not the red SUV, at least.

Once inside of Bojangles, i realize this is a poor choice of restaurants since everything they have contains meat, and we are experimenting with a meatless diet.  But i finally find the one thing on their menu that was somewhat vegetarian and order an egg-and-cheese biscuit.  Waiting for my food, i can see the cook making my biscuit.  He isn’t wearing gloves.  I start to wonder if he is sick and if he is going to give me swine flu.  I wonder what county i am in and if they have a high incident of the swine flu here.  I try to rationalize that it is OK; after all, when i worked at McDonald’s 15 years ago i never wore gloves.  I convince myself it’s going to be okay.

I take my biscuit back into the car and get on my way.  No scary SUV’s are following me, for once.  I take a bite of my biscuit and discover that Bojangles food is not nearly as good without the Cajun chicken seasoning.  Then i have a flash of the cook scratching his greasy face with the back of his hand, and decide i’m not really hungry after all.

A few miles later, i stop to get gas.  It is the first gas station i have seen in awhile that is well-lit.  I have passed many poorly lit gas stations (you know, the kind that look like their pumps do not accept credit cards) and have been afraid to stop at them.  But this one looks OK.  I get out the nozzle and notice it is one of the annoying ones that you actually have to hold - it doesn’t click in place.  While i am stuck there holding my nozzle, a middle-aged and perhaps homeless woman comes by asking for money.  Ugh, i hate being in this position.  I just say no, still trapped at the nozzle, when i see a red SUV pull in next to me.  I kind of freak out, but quickly i notice that there is a family in this vehicle.  The dad looks at me funny when he gets out of the car, but that is probably because i was staring at his car oddly when he pulled in.

I go inside and i hear the maybe-homeless woman buying a lottery ticket.  I guess she got someone to give her some money.  I peruse for a few minutes and get a drink and a granola bar (after all, i am still hungry).  As i am headed to the counter to check out, she darts back into the store and cuts in front of me to buy another lottery ticket.  Since i didn’t give her any money, i figure i can at least let her have first place in line.

Nothing too strange happens for the rest of the drive, thankfully.  I arrive at the beach house where i see a car in the driveway.  I can see a 26.2 bumper sticker, so i’m pretty sure i’m in the right place.  I walk up to the front door and knock.  No answer.  I knock again.  Nothing.  I try to peek through the slits of the blinds, and i can barely see inside.  The lights are on, but the place does not seem to be inhabited.  No signs of luggage or any supplies on the tables.

I wonder, are they asleep?  It’s only 9…  and honestly i didn’t think Jeff was the going-to-bed-early type.  Maybe they are in the bedroom and just can’t hear me.  I walk up the steps to the backdoor, in the dark, and i feel completely like a burglar.  I knock again; maybe they will hear me from this side of the house.  No answer.

Am i in the right place?  I think so, but situations like this really make you wonder.  Maybe there’s ANOTHER house with the same number on ANOTHER road of the same name nearby, with ANOTHER car with a marathon bumper sticker on it… Yeah.

I haven’t called Lance to tell him i’m here safe, and since he insisted i do so, that’s the next thing i decide to do.  Maybe i can get him to pull up my email and find Jeff’s phone number for me.  Lance doesn’t answer.  I text him; no answer.  This is strange b/c i know he’s expecting my call.  I completely feel like i am in the twilight zone, and the only thing missing is creepy background music.

Then i remember that even though i was an idiot and didn’t bring Jeff’s phone number with me, thanks to my recent foray into twitter i can tweet at him directly.  Except i’m not sure if i know how to do that, actually.  But, i try to send him a tweet.

I unpack the car and bring all my stuff up next to the door, figuring i’ll hear from someone soon.  I don’t.  It probably hasn’t been that long since i got here, but i’m not sure what i should do.  I stare at my phone and check if i have adequate service.  My phone looks back at me, like “what?”

I load my shit back into the car, just in case this isn’t the right house, and go in search of a bar.  I decide everyone must be at dinner.  And not have their phones on.

I find a nice bar with a chatty bartender a couple of blocks away.  I text Lance again and tell him that i’m fine but still haven’t found anyone.  I work on my crossword puzzle.

At 10 pm the restaurant closes, but no one has called or texted.  The bartender takes pity on me and gives me another drink and says i can stay longer if i want, which was awful nice of her.

Finally at 10:15 Lance calls me.  He was at dinner and had his phone in his coat, so didn’t see my messages.  He’s glad i made it safely.  By this time i’m getting ready to head back to the house and see if the others are back yet.  When i get back to the house, i find it as i left it - no one answering the door.  I’m standing on the porch wondering what i’m supposed to do now when i finally get a tweet from Jeff saying “whoops just got this we’re on our way.”

And with that, i exhaled a little on the inside, because the world had gotten really really weird for a few hours, but was finally returning to normal.

I signed up for this race because it is two weeks before the Outer Banks Half Marathon, and i figured it was a good training distance. For some reason, i was expecting it to be hilly, but i was pleasantly surprised on that front.  The course was an out-and-back course along the Tobacco Trail, which is a growing trail in the area.  The website indicates they are turning unused railways into trails.  The surface was compacted soil - a little easier on the feet. (Though my feet still hurt!)

The race was pretty small compared to other races, only 400 runners.  It ended up being a good size, though, considering the logistics of the thing.  We had to park a few miles away and catch shuttle buses to and from the race site.

It is a beautiful time of year in Raleigh.  The leaves are just starting to change, and everything looks a little bit like it’s on fire.

I got up at 7:15, ate a banana, then grabbed a small cup of coffee and several bottles of water for the 30-minute drive.  Found the parking, no problem.  On the shuttle, i heard a familiar voice - one of my bridge friends was there!  He and his wife are both runners.  I met a few others on the shuttle, and suddenly i felt a bit more comradarie with everyone.  It helps psychologically to know people are there who are rooting for you.

We got dropped off at the race site at 8:15.  First thing was a bathroom stop.  I walked around some, and around 8:35 i peed again.  The women started at 8:50, and i’ll be damned if i didn’t have to pee AGAIN just a few minute in!  I asked the people around me if they knew if there would be port-a-johns along the way.  Someone indicated yes, they should be available at the water stops.

So i spent my first two miles somewhat uncomfortably “holding it in”.  My pace in the first mile was too fast, as i was bunched up with other people and just keeping up.  The second mile the people spaced out, and i see-sawed with the girl who had told me about the port-a-johns, who was doing the 3-1 run-walk thing.  I think my pace was roughly 11 minute miles.  The men started 10 minutes after us, and the first wave of them were passing me before the end of mile 2.  At the water stop, yes, thankfully, two bright blue port-a-johns, and i gratefully took my place in the short line.  Afterwards, i felt MUCH better, grabbed some water, and could concentrate on the run.

As i mentioned, the course was very flat.  With my bladder empty, i suddenly felt really good.  I surprised myself by settling into a pace that varied between 9:30 and 10:30.  There were no real landmarks besides the water stops (and i’m too lazy right now to go download the info from my gps watch), but i just consistently kept the pace.  I remember i passed the 3 mile mark at about 32 minutes - though i did stop my watch for my pee break.  I passed the 3-1 girl who was nice enough to tell me about the port-a-johns and never see-sawed with her again.  I ran mile 6 in 9:59.  I beat my 10K time from the Cary Road Race in the spring (which had big hills).  I really was amazed that i was able to run at this pace and keep it up!

A few thoughts going through my head at this time: 1) maybe next year will be The Year Audrey Gets Faster and i follow Cindy and $Bill’s footsteps (ha) and hire their running coach. 2) A surefire way to feel fast even when you’re not is to take a bathroom break and then pass all the people who would have been behind you. 3) I’m afraid i’m going to really lose steam in the last miles.

Things did start to get harder.  My feet started to hurt after all the pounding.  I started trying to do math in my head, which is always hard for me while running.  It’s akin to when i press Snooze on the alarm clock in the morning - the math i do in that in-between state is always fuzzy.  But i finally figured out that a pace of 10-minute miles would mean a time of 1:40:00 and 11-minute miles would mean a time of 1:51:00.  With my great middle miles, i would surely be in between those if i didn’t stop.

That was all the motivation i needed.  I strove to keep my pace in the low 10s.  I walked for a few steps at each of the final two water stops, to gulp down a few mouthfuls of and then douse myself with refreshing, cold water, but that was it.  Each of those final miles was around 10:40, and i finished, by my watch, right at 1:45:00.

I felt great.  My chip time will be a little slower because of the pee break, but i am ecstatic.  I’m going to try to repeat this at the Outer Banks Half in two weeks, and thus demolish my time of 2:32:00 for my first half-marathon two years ago.

Monday: Bodysculpt strength training class.  An OK workout.

Tuesday: Four mile run on the trails at work.  Absolutely beautiful day for running.  I ran all the hills - all of them, in fact i made no stops whatsoever - and didn’t even have to be bitchy with myself in order to do it.

Wednesday: Step aerobics - this class was hard and fun.  I’m not having a real great week in how i feel, and i was tired and very nearly ditched the class b/c of general lethargic-ness.  Once i got into it, though, i really pushed myself.

Thursday: Rest day.

Friday: Despite feeling crappy, i ran 3+ miles at lunchtime anyway.  Once again, no stopping on any hills.  It’s weird how i don’t even notice the smaller hills anymore.  And on the bigger hills, it’s really all about the breathing.

Saturday: A leisurely 2-mile walk at Pet Day.  I had intentions for a workout at home, too, but…alas.

Sunday: Eight and a half miles around (and around and around) Shelley Lake.   I think it’s okay to do long runs in a mostly flat setting, since the half will be mostly flat.  Another beautiful morning for a run.

Monday: My legs were extremely sore from Sunday’s 6 mile run, but i went to the Bodysculpt class at work anyway, and just took it easy on the legs.

Tuesday: It stopped raining just long enough for me to get in a 5K at lunch.  I found myself getting really bitchy with myself.  “Bitch, this hill is nothing.  You will have to do a worse hill than this after running 12 miles in mere weeks.  You will not walk up this hill.”  What can i say, it worked.  I ran up the damn hills.

Wednesday: Step aerobics was challenging.  My energy level was low.  After work, Lance and i and the pupton went for a nice 3 mile walk around Lake Lynn.

Thursday: Day of rest.  I needed it.

Friday: I did a short running warm-up (1.5 miles?) before heading to BodySculpt class.  Ran into Cindy on the track around the soccer field.  She had a 10-mile race this past weekend.  I hope it went well!

Saturday: I got up and went to Shelley Lake for my long run, but this time i went South towards the mall.  And i ran past the mall before i turned around at the 3.5 mile mark to make it a total of 7 miles.  I have to say, some of those bridges and creekside walkways are pretty creepy, and in my head i was going through the various ways in which i may be accosted.  It actually made me feel better to “prepare” for these situations in my head.  Happily, i made it back without incident.

Sunday: Another 3-mile walk around Lake Lynn.  These walks aren’t strenuous, but i count them as cross-training.

The days leading up to our vacation were extremely full, and despite good intentions, i did not exercise at all at the beach.  I thought i’d at least do some long walks on the beach, but we only got one good one in with the rain.  Thus, training was derailed for awhile.  I’m happy, though, to have gotten back on track in a serious way in this past week.

Monday: Bodysculpt class.  It was hard.  In a good way.

Tuesday: I didn’t get in a workout at lunch, but came home and signed onto the Wii to let My Fitness Coach lead me through 30 min of intense cardio.  It is an excellent “game”.  Better, by far, than the Wii Fit, if you ask me.

Wednesday: Step aerobics was challenging this week, and not particularly fun.  Usually, i love it.

Thursday: Rest.

Friday: Bodysculpt again - i felt it in my legs for two days afterwards.

Saturday: Just a long walk with Nugent, but at least i did something.

Sunday: I was supposed to run Saturday, but was too lazy to do so, but i got in my 6 mile run at Shelley Lake.  It was HARD after two weeks of not running, but i did it.  Goddammit.

Monday: Bodysculpt class - it’s quite interesting what a difference the instructor makes.  This one didn’t push us very hard.  To extend this workout, i walked another mile around the soccer field.

Tuesday: Managed to get myself up early, and i’m glad i did.  70 degree weather was pretty nice.  I was pretty slow, but i’m just glad i got these 3 miles in.

Wednesday: I got to the gym for the Step aerobics class and realized i had forgotten my sports bra.  I hate that - you get all motivated and physically transport yourself from sitting on your ass all the way to the gym.  And then, kaput.  I didn’t make up for it.

Thursday: Didn’t have time to make up for yesterday.

Friday: 2 mile run and then Bodysculpt class.  Yay, back on track.

Saturday: I should have done something today.  Does shopping count?  My mom and i must have walked a few miles at least.

Sunday: 5+ miles around Shelley Lake.  Fall is near; i could feel it in the morning air.

Monday: Running on very little sleep, i still went to and got my ass kicked at the Bodysculpt class during lunch.  It’s basically a weight-lifting class, with the focus being on high reps at slightly lower weights than you might otherwise use.  Wore me out.

Tuesday: 3 mile run planned.  First real run in months.  Brilliant me set my alarm… for 6:30 pm.  So of course i slept until my normal 7:30 wake-up time, and i didn’t have time to run in the morning.  Instead, i went at noon, in 90 degree heat.  Other than the heat & humidity, i felt strong.  I haven’t been running lately, but i have been working out, and my breathing was mostly even and my legs never gave out.  A good first run.

Wednesday: Cross training day.  I have a step aerobics class that meets on Wednesdays, so most weeks this will be my cross training.  The instructor set the music way too fast, and i wasn’t the only one tripping over my bench trying to keep up.  Going too fast makes for a good workout, but i can’t say i enjoyed it like i usually do.

Thursday: Rest day.  Needed it.  Last night i conked out on the floor in front of the TV at about 10:15 - way earlier than my usual bedtime.

Friday: I was supposed to do a 3 mile run plus strength training.  I only had time for a 1.5 mile run before the Bodysculpt class started.  I may have felt strong Tuesday, but today i felt extremely weak.

Saturday: A run or cross-training was planned, but i did nothing.  I was quite sore from Friday’s weight-lifting class, and last night i did not “sip wisely” at the bridge party.  Plus it’s raining.  Tons of excuses = no workout for me.

Sunday: I knew i was supposed to run today, so i put in 4 miles.  It turns out the schedule calls for 5 miles.  Oh well.  At least i got out and did something.  The weather was decent - cloudy and in the upper 70s.  Still humid, but we’ll be putting up with that for at least a few more weeks.

Against the advice of my saner self, i have signed up for another half marathon in November. The OBX Marathon and Half Marathon will take place on Sunday, November 8, and i will be there.  12 weeks of training starts today.  Along the way, i will also compete in the American Tobacco Trail 10-miler.

To be honest, i’m not sure how enthusiastic i am.  I initially signed up for this half marathon because there was a group of my bridge buddies who were all planning to do it.  We were going to rent a house for the weekend and bring the families and cheer each other on.  I was psyched, and signed up immediately.  Unfortunately, they are now all doing a golf weekend together that same weekend and can’t make it.

So, i’m going it alone.  I suppose i need to reserve a hotel room for myself since there be no big beach house rental.  Sigh.  I’m not really bitter about it.  I’m just staring down the barrel of a long training regimen and am having a hard time finding the motivation that caused me to sign up in the first place.  I seem to remember telling myself i would never have to do another half…

Snap out of it, self.

You can do this.

As i did for the 15K i ran in the spring, i am posting my training schedule.  This will mostly be a way to hold myself accountable, not because i think anyone truly cares.  I may also post a weekly log of how the workouts went that week, we’ll see how it goes.