Upcoming races

I returned home last night from Marin (where I did NOTHING, no running no swimming, nada -- I have GOT to learn how to sneak a run or two in amongst my 12 hour nights. I have successfully done this in the past, but can't for the life of me revive the habit), after being awake for over 36 hours due to a hasty mandatory class and the drive home, then proceeded to stay awake till 3 am, then spent most of the next 18 hours in bed. I've really knocked my circadian clock for a loop this time!

Anyhow, I MUST be motivated to really get out there. I have lots of little (and big) events coming up in the next few days and weeks. Tonight I have the last of the series of races with my local running club -- this oughta really kick me in the pants, a 4 mile trail run on the day (after) I return to altitude will really have me gasping to a back of the pack finish for sure, if not (once again) DFL. I always do much better if 48 hours pass before my return to altitude and my first run, but here we go.

This saturday I am picking up an improptu 10K down at Spooner Lake, on the opposite corner of Lake Tahoe from where I live. This should prove to be an interesting run, 770 feet of elevation gain in the first 3 miles, then a turn around back down to the finish. The theme of the day is Run with Your Dog, and the prizes are dog-themed, and I don't have a dog to run with! Unfortunately, the lack of the dog makes me ineligible to win the 1st2nd3rd prize, but I really don't think that'll be much of an issue . . .

On November 1st I have the Marin International Triathlon, which will prove to be a big challenge for me, as once again I am undertrained and could be a lot more ready. However, I think it'll be easier than the DLT that really kicked my ass, 'cause this is at sea level and I don't think there's a ton of climbing either on the run or the bike (I need to do a little course recognizance to really make sure), so perhaps I can beat 4 hours? I think it's a reasonable goal. I won't be broken hearted to come in over 4 hours, but to reach the goal would make me feel at least slightly athletic. The run and the bike look like they follow the seashore (bayshore), so I'm thinking FLAT, but the website refers to the course as "challenging" so I guess I should get out there and check it out myself . . .

Lastly, I have a Turkey Trot 7 miler around Donner Lake on November 14. This is a race I have done before, way back when I first started running, so it'll be interesting to see if I can beat my time of, lemme look it up, wow! 1:12 -- that's remarkably fast for me, I would've thought it would be slower, given that I remember taking a number of walking breaks. A 10:28 pace? That's GOT to be some kind of misprint, doesn't it? I do NOT run that fast. Maybe it's more like 6.5 miles, but that's still fast for me. Hmmm. Well, I guess 1:12 is the time to beat in any case, so there's that.

Anyhow, I've got to get out of bed and on to tonight's little fun race. And then keep on running . . .