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...