October in Florida...

...equals FANTASTIC running conditions!! Oh, is it ever gorgeous!

When I left off I was staring down the barrel at 11 miles. We polished that off, no problem. Added an "incident" to ongoing list of hilarious "incidents". Laughing got us through the last 3 miles.

On Tuesday I finally made it to track practice. We did maximum heart rate drills and I learned that mine was - as I expected - fairly high. My max heart rate is 200, so I need to work at 70-85% of that. It explains why I am able to run comfortably at 165-170 when I shouldn't really be able to, based on the general guideline of 225 - age x 70-85%.

Yesterday my training partner was out of town. I had intended to go to Ft. DeSoto to join my team for the potluck/group run but decided it was simply too far. Then I was going to join the local running club sponsored through the Y but when I woke up I felt TERRIBLE. It took me an hour and a half after waking to decide that I could - and would - run but I would do it near home so I could come home if I declined in any way. After the first block, I was fine, and handed in a 12 mile run at just under 2 hours. I was very proud of myself!!

I'm learning to love Saturdays after that long run. It's becoming a self-indulgent kind of day, where I reward myself with whatever I want to eat or drink, and generally celebrate the morning's hard work. Last night I OVER indulged at the party of old friends of ours. It was a great party and the atmosphere they've created with their home just lent itself to indulgence. (The house is neat, with a brick courtyard, strings of lights criss-crossing over a picnic table outside, and a beautiful fountain). I must not have behave too badly as we've been invited back for dinner under those lights again next month!!

Today I am crickity. I didn't treat my body well yesterday and it's objecting. I ran those miles, toasted the end with a cup of coffee and a pumpkin spice bagel slathered in cream cheese, and nothing else for the rest of the day. Add in a healthy dose of Amber Bock on draft and you have a recipe for a painful Sunday. Lesson learned.

We learned that we are staying at Port Orleans for the race. We are starting to get all that paperwork in the mail. I am getting upset because fund raising isn't going well. I intend to hit the bricks tomorrow to see what I can get in the way of corporate sponsorships. I have 2 weeks to meet my minimum goal of $633 and recommit.

Can you believe it?

...I'm not going to mention a hurricane in this post!! Sure, there's a low-pressure system out in the Gulf over there by Texas but hey, it's nameless. And, as she who has headed to the pen this morning would say, "That's a good thing".

So, running news. First of all, I ran in the Race For The Cure last Saturday. It was terrible. As I've said about a million times to anyone who will listen: I love the cause, hate the course. It's a tough, tough course. First of all, it's lonely past the start and end. There are people lined up, but they are cheering for their one specific person, not the group as a whole. I could be wrong, but I think that's an unusual thing. It's hard to run past people chomping on bagels and drinking coffee and just staring at the pack. Second, they don't post mile markers so you can't really pace yourself. Third, the end of the course points you toward the sun. Also, it was hot and humid. Which, of course, is no one's fault. But it adds to my excuse list, which is necessary to explain my dismal time of 27:49. Yuck. Some kind soul told me I could subtract ~1:30/mile for the humidity and heat (as per Jeff Galloway, a published expert on the subject), which would put my time closer to 24:00 which is more like it, but still. But you know what? It's a great cause, an amazing turnout, and it was worth the pain. :) Plus it got me out of running 12 miles like my crazy training partner Terra did that day. She only had to do 8-10, but always the over-achiever...

Last night we were supposed to run 6 miles (which we did). The weather is getting to be amazing. This fall-stuff makes living through hurricanes and humidity and vicious afternoon thunderstorms SO worthwhile. We mapped out our 6 miles and set to work. The thing is: it's not really work anymore. It's amazing that 6 miles was once a mile longer than our Saturday long run, but now it's just nothing. Really - I'm not just saying that. Terra mentioned something along those lines last night as we were beginning our last mile and we both remarked how we were anxious to be done for the sake of getting back to "home base" on time (we had a deadline) and not because our bodies were giving out. That is one of the problems of endurance training: it's not necessarily that you can't physically complete the run, it's setting aside hours for training.

In fact, this is where I'd like to say THANK YOU to my wonderful husband, who has been so incredibly supportive of my efforts to raise the money for the cause, to train, and for being so patient when my training means he's keeping the home fires burning. He has NOT complained (or even sighed heavily). As Maria (The Sound of Music) said, "Somewhere in my youth or childhood, I must have done something good."

Tomorrow we're doing 11 miles.