Thursday, September 23, 2010

CIM 2011

One of the hardest things about my move last year was missing the California International Marathon. Granted I might not have run it if I was home — I was still coming off an injury — but at least I would have had the option.

This year I decided to go a head and train to run it and Chad is doing it with me. What could be better?

I get a trip home to see the fam.
Chad gets to come.
All you can eat pasta for 2.5 days.
Running with my favorite running buddy and BFF.
Singing Christmas Tree week.

Come on. Can you say "AWESOME."

So we're about 6 weeks into training. I'm coming to terms with it being fall, but I'm realizing that winter is quickly approaching and that could make for some interesting runs. It's cold. So I'm trying to figure out what I need to do to stock up on winter running gear. I would love to think that I'm one of those burly runners that can brave the element and brave negative temperature runs with my lungs of steel. I'm not. I break out in hives. I can't talk. I get all coughy and itchy and wheezy. And most recently, with temperatures dipping just below 50 degrees in the morning... I can't breath.
This is not me.
Seriously...it appears I may have an allergy to the cold. I thought I was crazy...but it's real.

Thank you Minnesota.

So I've been hanging out with my doc a lot trying to get this madness under control because even if I have to train on a treadmill with an artificial lung. I'm running the CIM this year.

So now I just have to find some chains for my shoes so I don't crack my head on the ice. And some iPod friendly mittens.

12 weeks to go....

Wednesday, September 8, 2010

September blues....


I'm all about fall. The leaves are changing...everything smells like cinnamon and camp fire and in Minnesota you can actually go outside without becoming the blood buffet to 10 million mosquitos.

I hate mosquitoes.

However, and this is a big however, I'm not about fall when it appears suddenly without even giving summer a chance to say goodbye.

I need closure.

One morning I was running and it was 85 degrees at 9 in the morning and I was thinking, "Seriously, I don't know how much longer I can run it this heat." And BAM! the next morning I had long sleeves and ear muffs on.

Each day that it rains...and the wind gets a little bit colder...and the leaves turn another brilliant shade of orange (which I have learned only means it's just a matter of days until they turn to dreary shades of death)...the more I know summer is gone for good.

I should just start unpacking my sweaters and mittens now because it won't be long before I need them.