OH...and do we think we're ready for this weekend?

In an answer...probably not, but that's OK.

First of all...thank you so much for all of your words of encouragement and a few kicks in the butt about my whiny attitude the last couple of posts. I read back and I do sound like I'm being kinda down on myself about my last few long runs, but really I'm just trying to be objective. They've not been stellar runs. That's not really whiny...that's just being honest. And the reason for not my running very well on the long runs is NOT the weather, or the humidity. It is pretty obvious...I've not been running often enough. I've not been doing ANY weight work. That's not whiny...that's just being honest.

I suppose I have good reasons for this (although Jess's 100 day running streak makes me think "maybe not"). But many of us have been there...life happens, we get busy. Work or family or other obligations take precedence, and we end up not doing the kind of training/running that we know we SHOULD BE DOING to get ready for a 1/2 marathon, but for (fill in the blank) reason, we don't/can't/won't...whatever.

In the long run (and a 1/2 marathon is a long run...gotta respect the distance) it doesn't really matter why we haven't trained enough, when you haven't, you haven't.

It is what it is.

That being said, in the past five years, I have built up a fair amount cardio endurance, some core and leg and glute strength, I have done at least three 9+ mile runs this past month, and I do know how to run 13.1 miles. All that experience and my overall fitness what will suffice on Sunday.

So...I'll run with Walter in his first 1/2 marathon. We'll start slow and take it easy.  You should anticipate LOTS of photos (which I almost never take in a race because I'm so hell-bent on PRing) because my race plan is to have a truly FUN RUN.

In fact, because I'm putting absolutely NO pressure on myself, I may have more fun than I've EVER had in a 1/2 marathon, and to be honest, I'm really looking forward to that. Also, since deciding (probably sometime this weekend) that I was going to focus on having fun and not so much on running as fast as I can, I've had three REALLY GOOD RUNS!

• On Saturday, despite futzing around all morning and being a rather bad friend when standing up Mik and Kat (who cleverly ran at 7am before it got warm), I finally got my butt out there at 10:30 and managed to get 4 miles done in the bright sun. Results? 4 miles/10:44 pace.

• On Sunday, despite sleeping in because of Walter (who attended his 30th year HS reunion the night before), I got out of the house and ran at Harbor Island at almost 9am. It was a still pretty warm, but we got in 6 miles/10:42 pace.

• On Tuesday, despite a long day at work, luck had it so that both kids were otherwise engaged (DramaGirl at field hockey practice; Turbo hanging out with friends), so Walter and I decided to go run after work. Unfortunately, probably because the afternoon weather has been so spectacular, we didn't really consider that it is no longer summer. It is fall, and by 7pm, it's pretty darn dark. Running by nothing much more than the moonlight shining off of Lake BP was a pretty odd experience. Although I was nervous about accidentally tripping over a crack in the path, it was freeing to NOT be able to see my Garmin (am I running to fast? Oh SHIZ. Garmin says I am, so I must be), NOT being able to see a hill (up or down), just being able to FEEL the incline or decline or cant of the road. 3.88 miles/10:22 pace

Emails have been flying this week about plans and bibs and rooms and dinners and you'd think that we're flying to another country and not just driving about 75 minutes north to Long Beach. On Saturday, Betty, Elsie, Mik, Alberta, Walter and I will be in Long Beach and on Sunday morning we run. I cannot wait to see what happens!