Sunday, October 24, 2010

It all happens in threes

Item 1 - Making Plans
Three years ago, Betty had a wild idea to run a marathon, so we trained for and ran the San Diego Rock and Roll Marathon in 2008. Almost immediately after, we ran America's Finest City 1/2 Marathon.  If you asked Betty, she'd say she wanted to run, "one marathon." In fact, I think she did say something pretty close to that after Long Beach.

However, I don't think Betty (or anyone for that matter) was counting on my becoming somewhat addicted to running.

Since then, I've convinced Betty, Mik, Elsie, Alberta, Kat, and now Walter and a few others to train continuously for (FILL IN THE BLANK HERE). Not that they've been unwilling accomplices. At least I prefer to I think they've come along willingly.

But for the last three years, there really hasn't been a time when I wasn't planning or training (such as it sometimes is) for SOMETHING. Last year we did the San Diego Triple Crown. We just completed the California Dreamin' series. In between we've run other 1/2 Marathons, countless 5K and 10K "fun runs" and have completed more training runs, (ending with mimosas and pancakes of course), than I can count (although to be truthful, I have)

Anyway, I now find myself in the unusual place right now of having really NOTHING to train for--no 1/2 marathon in my future. Oh sure, we're going to run the Shelter Island 5K in a couple of weeks, but after that...nothing, nada.

There are some things we've talked about...doing the Triple Crown Again (Elsie has never run Carlsbad or AFC, although we can't do that this year since Carlsbad is already sold out). Mik wants to start running all the Rock 'n Roll series and travel to more races, maybe two a year. Betty may want to run Surf City so she can officially claim her California Dreamin' medal and jacket, and we'd never let her do that alone.

There are plenty of other nearby 1/2 marathons we haven't done including the Silver Strand, or the OC 1/2, or San Dieguito.

We've talked about doing something like Ragnar or another really long relay race (like the Red Rock Relay).

And I am pretty sure that we are all doing the SDTC RnR training program again, or at least I am.

But nothing concrete...and you all know me, I'm a planner. A  planner without a plan is a very bad thing.

It's a little disconcerting to be honest with you.

Item 2 - Final Notes on Long Beach
The gear-retrieval-debacle was not the end of the black cloud that seemed to follow the end of the race.
  1. Before we left the hotel, DramaGirl called and said it had been raining in San Diego all night, and that that our ceiling was leaking.
  2. As I was unpacking my bag when we got home, I discovered that I did not have the laundry bag with my damp-sweaty running clothes in it, and surmised that I'd left it in the hotel room as we rushed out of there.
Can everyone say GAH!!!! with me?

GAAAAAAHHHHHH!

The leaky roof was related to the solar water heater (for the pool) that is on our roof (it's the solar water heater that's on the roof, not the pool...Damn Dangling Modifiers). Apparently, it was making it impossible for water to run off the roof in one area, and water will ALWAYS find a way to run downhill...and it seem in this case, like the best path of egress was into our living room. The guys who installed the solar did something so that "hopefully" there's no more leakage, but we are still left with this...
Oh goody...just in time for the holidays...
We're supposed to get some ran on Monday, so we'll see if it worked...

As for the laundry that was left behind. I called the Marriott in Long Beach the MOMENT I realized that I'd left my laundry in the room and talked to
  • The front desk clerk
  • Two housekeepers
  • The head of housekeeping
And asked, begged, them to look for the bag and then send it back to me as it had in it my fabulous Race Ready Capri running pants and my NEON-DAY-GLO-LIME-GREEN running shirt! (the really important thing, right?)

So props to Allison (the head of housekeeping) for finding my stuff and for sending it back. The toxic package arrived on Thursday. The clothes were still sorta damp...kinda ewwwww huh?

Item 3 - Back to Running
After taking the week off to "recover," Walter and I headed over to Lake BP on Saturday morning for our first post-race run. Nothing exciting to report, just an easy (almost) 5 mile run. It was nice to get out there...and I had plenty of time to think about how I have nothing planned.

I did manage a pretty nice 10:21 pace...

Hope everyone has a fabulous week. Watch out for all the trick-or-treaters!

We carved pumpkins with our good friends Paul and Amy on Wednesday night...we might have jumped the gun a little bit, but it was the only night everyone was available.
DramaGirl with the pumpkin lineup...

11 comments:

  1. Aw, San Diego 2008 was my very first marathon, too!

    I will keep my fingers crossed that your awesome pumpkins stay nice and pumpkin-y 'til the weekend!

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  2. Glad you got your running stuff back (damp or not!). You really should consider recruiting your running friends to do a relay race -- I was part of a 92 mile relay race over the summer, and it was a blast!

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  3. I am so glad they found your stuff! I would have been crushed if it was mine and lost...running stuff is important.

    Love the pumpkins! I still need to get mine but the darn squirrels steal them. ha!

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  4. There's nothing worse than knowing your stuff is missing....no matter what that "stuff" is! Good thing you got it back!
    Cool pumpkins!
    "A planner without a plan".....love that!

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  5. Glad you got your still-damp-therefore-gross-but-very-important running clothes back. That would have been tragic!

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  6. weather guy said rain today and again all week end......feel like I moved back east!! Hope your roof (and mine) hold up!

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  7. ooh... if you guys need an extra for a Ragnar team, count me in!

    I know how it is. I am feeling a bit rudder-less right now trying to figure out what to train for. I am looking forward to more trail runs and races. They are much more low key than road races and there is way less time pressure. You guys might try one!

    Sorry about your leak. Normally, that wouldn't be a problem around here, but I can't believe all the rain we've been having! Good luck!

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  8. Yikes, we had a leak like that once in our ceiling and the huge hole stayed open for months so the wood could dry! Ahhhh!
    Good luck with that!!

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  9. Great they found and sent you your stuff!

    Boo to the ceiling!

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  10. Hmm. This happened to me after the L.A. Marathon last spring. People talk about "running for fun" instead of having a goal. Don't know about you - but by definition running ain't fun for me...

    Trail runs/races?

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  11. The San Digueto Half is kinda neat. Small, kinda hilly, but a good atmosphere. Fun beer bash after the race.

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