So, when I first started this blog I just KNEW that I'd be posting often. I mean, I run a decent amount (usually), so I should have plenty to blog about. Turns out that I'm just as lazy about this blogging thing as I am about many other things (ie. cleaning my car out, folding and putting away laundry, etc...). I have posted twice and the last one was in June or July. WOW!
A lot has happened since my last post. I mean, a HUGE running accomplishment that I had all kinds of blogging plans for, yet here it is nearly 5 months after the fact and I'm just getting around to putting it on here.
I ran my first-ever half-marathon! And I did a pretty decent job of it, if I do say so myself. Finishing was, of course, my main goal, but I managed to do even better than that and finish right where I thought I would. When I was asked by my soon-to-be brother-in-law how long I thought I'd take, I told him 2 hours and 15 minutes, about. Well, I crossed the finish at 2:15:14. A mere 14 seconds off from my calculations. If I were an elite runner, that would be a big difference, but... I'm not. So, I was pretty pleased. And future brother-in-law was pretty impressed with how dead-on I was with my time (he, too, is a runner).
Naturally, I had all these plans about posting my post-half-marathon blog within a couple days of the actual event. It would, of course, be filled with all the little details that nobody really gives a crap about. So, I'm kind of glad that I didn't post immediately. Now I can happily say, "I did it. It was fun. It hurt a little." and spare my readers (all one or two of you) the details. I will say this... it rained the ENTIRE time I was out there, and I couldn't have been happier about it :D
Let's see... I've moved since then. To a bigger, better, more "runner-friendly" city (a place that is known as Track Town USA kinda has to be runner-friendly). I now live closer to my work, giving me more time when I get home to get out there and pound the pavement. I have SO MANY options when it comes to running. I can head north and hit flat, fast paths and sidewalks or I can head south and hit the hills... and man, are there hills!! I can mix it up from day to day. I don't have to take the same route two days in a row if I don't want to. In the town I moved from it was the same run every day, except on my long runs, but even those started out with the same 1-2 mile route at the beginning AND end. I am happier in this city. I feel like I belong. I love getting out there and seeing all kinds of runners no matter what direction I head in. Since moving here, my pace has decreased and I have a renewed love for my sport.
On November 24th I did my first 5K since September of 2008. I desperately wanted to beat my PR of 30:51 that I set back in '08. I had a goal of 30:00. For the 5K I went back to the very first one I ever did; The Turkey Stuffer. Man, it has GROWN... there were 1200+ people there. The first time I did that one there were not quite that many runners/walkers. Anyway, I'll just cut to the chase here: I finished in 28:02!! Even better than I had hoped :) It seems that running the hills around my neighborhood has really paid off when it comes to the flat courses.
While I had fun with the 5K, I have decided that I am not going to spend money to do a distance that I run on my easy days. I guess maybe that seems a little snobbish, but I'm not made of money and if I'm going to fork out $20-30 I want to get a little more out of it than half an hour. With that said, I am pretty sure the next time I put forth cash for a run will be THE NEXT BIG STEP... a marathon!! The Eugene Marathon, to be exact. It's going to put a small dent in my wallet, I will have to set aside money just to make sure I have the funds for it. But... I. WILL. DO. IT!!
That about does it for tonight. Looking at how "often" I have posted in the past, you can probably expect my next post to be in... umm... March or April, perhaps. Unless something stellar happens before then.
