Split Decision

Before Christmas I'd made plans to run with my old running buds, Brian and Celeste. I had 15 on the schedule so I'd run with them and then make up the difference either before or after.

As a nice coincidence the CA Cruisers had decided to run the Newport Back Bay loop which goes right by Brian's neighborhood. The grand plan came together. I would meet the Cruisers at 7 a.m. Run about 5 miles to Brian's 'hood, meet up with he and Celeste and run a few miles then continue on the loop for somewhere around 15 miles.

You know what they say about the best laid plans....well, I never heard my alarm so I over slept, waking up with only enough time to meet Brian and Celeste at 8:00 a.m. We had a great run, the three of us plus Brian's wife and 7 month old daughter. We ran out of the neighborhood and down Back Back Drive. The girls lead the way with Brian's wife pushing the baby jogger. Brian and I brought up the rear. It was a nice leisurely out and back 6 mile run. Back at Brian's house we stood around chatted and had fun watching their adorable daughter. We could have spent the whole morning, maybe even the day, being entertained by her.

I finally broke away with the intentions of completing my miles for the day. But I'd cooled down considerably and my wet shirt was making me feel even chillier. I had to drop some stuff off at my car and struggled with myself about whether to complete the miles or not. I was cold and tired and really wanted to just go home but I forced myself to get moving.

I ran the entire Back Bay Loop, 11 miles, in 1:50 for a nice 10:00 pace. Although this was still off from my planned pace of 9:19, it was far better than the paces I'd been keeping on some of my other long runs of late. It was a short "long run due to the warm up 6 miles with Brian and C0. but the pace was improved. I was glad I had fought off the desire to be warm and home.

Six weeks to race day!

Oh, I've fleshed out the 2011 race calendar a bit by signing up to run the Little Rock Marathon on March 6. I'd I forgotten that the CA Cruisers had chosen the Missoula Marathon as our group outing in July. I missed this one in 2010 and hope to run it this year, 1 day shy of my 50th birthday. I'm still searching for a decent airfare to be able to join Joe in April at the Illinois Marathon. Cleveland, Fargo and Deadwood my have to wait another year. But there's still the fall season I haven't even begun to consider yet.