Update

Well, I do suppose an update to this blog is due.  What, has it been 2 weeks now? I knew back in June or July that September would be the kind of month that I just have to find a way to endure.  Well, I have endured September.  I made it through the preparation, business travel, directing a race, and running Ragnar.

I'd really like to do a Ragnar report, but I don't know that I'll have time.  Let me just say that it was extremely hot (100F and 90F during my first and last runs) and I didn't go all out during my legs like I did last year.  I never got a side stitch while running, but I got several while laughing in the van with my friends.  If you ever get an opportunity to run a relay like that, take advantage of it.  It's an amazing experience.  It'll be one of the most fun events of your life.

I've still been trudging along with my marathon training.  I'm trying to hang in there and get the miles done.  My confidence is severely bruised and I don't feel very fast at all.  I haven't raced since Cotton Row, and I stunk so bad that day that if you sniff in downtown Huntsville, you can still get a whiff of my stench.  That was just an awful race (actually an awful 2 races). I really don't know how to get my mojo back, except to keep waking up at or before 5:00 AM to slog through the miles and gut out the tempo runs and MP runs.

I signed up for Dizzy Fifties, but didn't get in.  Maybe a few more will drop out and I can get in.  Since I'm so stinking slow right now, I thought I'd give a try at 50 miles.

I signed up for Mountain Mist also.  I did get in that one.  I'll have to bust it on the trails to be ready for that one.  I ran 23 miles on the trails on Saturday, part of it was on the Mist course.  Humbling.  I'm still sore from that run.  And I still have visions of the rattlesnake I saw while running alone.  That was a little spooky.