Everything and Nothing

I have not blogged (is that now an accepted word?) for a while not because I haven't had time but because I have not felt like anything really significant has happened. On the other hand I am sure all sorts of significant things have happened that I have somehow overlooked. So forgive me if this blog today appears to be rambling because it is but then again so is life most of the time - at least mine is!

I have blogged a bit about my training for the Tybee Island Marathon (Feb 2). I have been trying to get back to my old form with my running. It has been years since I have really put a lot of effort into running - aside from tri training. I have been on the marathon training program for about 4 weeks now and up until last week I still wasn't really feeling the "love". I feel heavy and sluggish, but last week I went to the track to do 800's at 6 AM in the morning in the freezing cold. Two weeks previous to that I had done 5x800 all at 3:30 pace. Yeah, I know nothing stellar but I already admitted to having some work to do! So for last week my goal was to do all 6x800 in 3:20-3:25 at little faster but not killing myself. The first one I rolled past the 800 mark in 3:19 - I was kind of happy and kind of sad since I always try to negative split and here I had started a little on the fast side. As I went I just tried to fall into a quick cadence and really stay focused and all of a sudden the "love" was coming back to me 3:15,3:13,3:12 all falling right in the neighborhood of faster than what I expected. I felt like I was working hard but not killing myself. Meanwhile the sun had come up so I could do my cool down on the gravel road around the high school while the new school farm Alpaca's and goats watched. It was a good start to a day and proof that the training is starting to pay off, but also a bitter reminder that there is a lot more work to be done.

Aside from track work I do most of my runs on the trails but lately I have been overly frustrated by the hunters. WHY do they feel the need to hunt ILLEGALLY? I am running on private trails in the subdivision where I live and that is where they are hunting! After getting some advice from Glenn I purchased an outrageously priced ugly florescent orange hat for myself and 2 orange hunting vests for the dogs that always run in the front of the pack. So hopefully we don't get shot! I have even unwillingly moved my early morning runs to late morning runs - because when I hear the guns being shot I figure that is a sign to stay out of the woods. So, sorry hunters I am mad that I have to rearrange my schedule to avoid being shot by someone who is trespassing to begin with! I will get over it but I AM frustrated.

Last weekend I did some Christmas shopping - NO, not at the mall. I hate the mall. I don't like the crowds, the pushing, the shoving and the rude people make me feel very un-christmas like. I went to Hendersonville and walked all over down town and to my surprise had a GREAT afternoon. A nice lunch, then some browsing in a gallery, then another gallery where the drunk artist (admittedly so) showed me some paintings and offered a Bloody Mary. (I passed) Then on to a new store called ZB Zports. WOW - they had some cool "technical" gear for running and other outdoor activities. Some of you have made fun of my constant reference to "technical" fabrics but honestly if you started biking & running 20 years ago you too can remember going for a ride in your wool jersey and shorts with real shammy in them. I have a few pair saved just to show those of you who are non-believers! Anyway - the prospect of new, soft, comfortable, wicking fabrics excites me - it makes me want to go ride and run in the cold! After spending a lot of time in ZB sports I only had a little time to go in Mast General but their selection looked less interesting and my interest in shopping was waning.

For those of you who actually have read this far today is my birthday. I officially get to move up an age-group in triathlon this year. That is the only good thing I can think about getting older. I guess the older I get the more I can look back on life and reminisce but I think I am still too young for that. There is a saying on the Wildflower Bakery in Saluda that says "If you didn't know how old you were, how old would you be?" Today I am feeling about 25 so I will go celebrate!