Charley, Frances and Ivan

Not my new friends, not my new teammates, not even really fun people to be around. They are hurricanes which are wreaking havoc with my training schedule, my work, my children and my lives.

Ivan is due here by the beginning of next week. A formidable catagory 4, expected right here in the Tampa Bay area.

The only good news is at this point, just about anything I write about hurricanes or weather in general in my emails or here should be certified by the American Meterological Society, so well-studied am I in steering currents, fronts, wind sheer and potential tornadic activity.

It's almost funny. Almost. We're all living here in a state of suspended animation. Conversations are started like this, "If Ivan DOESN'T hit here next week, would you like to get the kids together for a playdate?" We're cooking in our driveways - why pull the grill to the back? Front yards and porches are sadly barren - no one has brought back out their doo-dads-turned-potential-missiles. We are mid-hunker. And it stinks.

But practices do go on, despite the oppressive heat. Last night was track practice, which I love to hate (or hate to love?). I love the coach. She's just what you want in a coach: encouraging, helpful, and ass-kicking :). We did timed 400s. I did okay. I'm not thrilled with my target MM (I've certainly run faster in my life) but I have to factor in a new kind of training, new shoes and oh yes, oppressive heat. I hope I can get that time down to make last year's goal: top 100 woman in the Turkey Trot. Nothing else will do. I'll cry in my gravy if I miss it again this year...

Weight Watchers is not going too well for me. I'm not keeping up with tracking my food, and I am STARVING ALL THE TIME. It's purely psychological; except for the Saturday morning long runs (which aren't really THAT long yet) I'm not running any more than I ever have. I know I'm not eating as much fat and I'm not feeling very sated. I'm trying to eat more fruits and veggies but it's just not sustaining me. I'm truly hungry - not dehydrated, I'm definitely hydrated! - so I don't know what to do. I think I am going to add some more nuts to my diet to see how that helps. Also cheese. I don't know. I'm still tweaking.

I have to say - I love the Snickers Marathon bar!! I know, I know; technically it's just a smooshed down Snickers candy bar (my fave) but it DOES have 13g protein in it. That's a lot of protein!! I think it gave me strength for my long run. I might have to ask Santa for a stocking-full....