Slacking (sort of)

I openly admit to slacking off on my blogging. My thanks to the handful of you that continue to visit despite my lack of new posts.

I've found myself with some time this morning and will attempt to get myself caught up on my favorite blogs. I may even muster up a post of more than 5 sentences.

My running is going well and I'll be doing a 22 miler tomorrow (thus the "sort of") inclusive of the NYRR Scotland Run.

"If you would be a reader, read; if a writer, write."
-Epictetus

Chronology of a Missed Workout

8:00pm - Decide to go to gym in morning for stretching, core work and a few easy miles on treadmill.

10:00pm - Pack gym bag and set out workout clothes. All is set for a no brainer, grab n' go morning.

12:00am - baby wakes up and starts to cry.

3:30am - Baby wakes up and starts to cry. Again.

6:00am - Alarm goes off. Hit snooze.

6:09am - Alarm goes off again. Hit snooze.

6:18am - Alarm goes off again. Hit snooze.

6:27am - Alarm goes off again. Punch snooze. Alarm experiences short flight across room.

6:45am - At elevator, running behind. Feeling guilty for not walking dog. Realize I only have an hour to get to gym, exercise and get home in time to go to work.

6:46am - Elevator arrives as I turn and walk back to apartment. I'll just run near the house.

6:50am - Back at elevator with happy dog.

6:52am - Outside picking up dog poop. It's really cold out.

7:07am - Fumble around in the dark for cold-weather gear.

7:10am - Give up and go back to bed.

8:06am - Wake up (again) and still manage to be late to work.

"If at first you don't succeed, try, try, and try again. Then give up. There's no use being a damned fool about it."
-W.C. Fields

Going Long

I have to admit that I've occasionally complained about the two block walk to the mailbox nearest my house. Ironic considering I was actually excited about doing a 20 mile training run this past Sunday.

Ahhh, the mind of the long distance runner.

Sunday was also the NYRR's Colon Cancer Challenge - a 15k road race in Central Park. So, I plotted a course of about 10.5 miles to the start and then raced the 15k (9.3 miles).

I figured that I'd be inspired to pick up the pace for the second half of this workout by the race environment.

However, I was a bit pressed for time when I left the house (read: groggy and lethargic) so I had to nudge up the tempo to ensure I'd get to the start on time.

I arrived at the starting queue just as the final race instructions were being announced. I arrived timely but pooped. The race itself was pretty rote for me. I did find a little extra umph as a result of the competitive nature of races and I ran well. A big shout out to NYFlyGirl and the Ladies of Hellgate for whoopin' it up on the course.

The good news came later and was two-fold:

First, when I woke up on Monday I wasn't destroyed physically by delayed onset soreness - a sure sign of heightened fitness.

Second was my pace.... When I combined the times of the pre-race run with the race itself my pace was on target to deliver an 8 minute PR for the marathon.

Now I just have to keep up my training and not to obsess with peaking too soon.

"Effort is only effort when it begins to hurt."
-José Ortega y Gasset