Plan your Run; Run your Plan

So I got a nudge from Peter the other day, asking me to return to the blogging world. I've wanted to, but just kept procrastinating. Actually, I talk to you all the time, just in my head. It's hard to get feedback that way. :-) So last year was the first year since I started running, that I didn't run a marathon. Injuries and time interfered with my training. I plan to run a marathon this year, just not sure which one. My friends are running New York and want me to try to get in. I don't have much hope of that happening, but I'll throw my hat in. However, there's a new marathon coming to Ventura in September and I'm thinking of that one. That's if I don't get in to New York. Yes, I'm still running, though my weekly mileage is less than a single long run. I'm working on fixing that. The past two Saturdays I've run 8 miles. I'm kind of wiped out by mile 6, but I finish. In addition to running 3 days a week, I go to personal twice a week. I'll call him Creeper, not because he's creepy but because his workouts seem easy but soreness "creeps in" for a couple of days afterwards. Once a week I take a spin class for an aerobic challenge and once a week I go out for an easy group ride. My racing has mostly been 5Ks and 10Ks. I ran a Valentine's 5K at Cal Poly and came in 3rd for my AG. Not bad, since it was 50-59. There were 10 runners in that category. That's been my only race this year, but last October I ran a 5K at the Paso Robles Marathon and won my age group! That's the nice thing about small-town races; you get to taste success even if you're not exceptional. :-) SD and I had a heavy travel schedule, which is why I didn't run any of the races I normally do. We're going on a cruise and when I return I intend to buckle down and race. I'm signed up for the Big Sur Half in November and am looking forward to others races up to then. And of course, I'll work on increasing my distance so that I can start training for another marathon.

In Solidarity

It's been a while since I've posted but I'm horrified by what happened at the Boston Marathon this morning. Bomb blasts at a road race? That's just crazy. Three deaths, with 144 injuries, so far. Still don't know why. I'm surprised and touched by the friends and acquaintances who were concerned for my safety, thinking I may have been there. I'm too slow to qualify for Boston. I never expect to qualify for Boston. But many people are wearing a race shirt tomorrow to show their support for the runners, volunteers, spectators, and first responders. I will be, too. Because I'm a marathoner. I'm a runner.