Week Recap, Prep for SF, and Tri Challenge?

A little over a week ago I was invited through DailyMile to run with a group that meets at one of the parks near where I live. This is awesome! I'm very happy this happened since that was the main reason why I joined that site; to meet other runners, be motivated and make new friends.

The runners in the group are all of different levels and skills. Of the ones I ran with this week only one hasn't completed a race (but he's planning on it), two just ran the Missoula Marathon in well below 4 hours, and another is running the Berlin Marathon in a few months! She is also running the 1st Half of the SF Marathon, which she says she has been doing for years! This is way cool! This is the first person whom I'll be running with that I knew in person before race day.

The group usually runs a 6-mile course on Tuesday and Thursdays. This route is downhill half way and uphill on the way back. I found it challenging enough on Tuesday that I decided to do something a bit crazy on Thursday. I ran from my house a little after 6pm to meet them at the park to do their course. From my house to the park is a bit over 1.8 miles downhill. Adding the group's course, plus the run back home, I did 9.56 miles. Two things of note here: first, the route's elevation profile looks like a bowl since its an out-and-back; and second, the temperature that day was in the 90s. Needless to say, it was a hard run. My mile-pace was horrible but I was going for completion not time. I think I'll keep that route for days when I want to challenge myself (This will probably turn into "Every Thursday")

Moving along! SF is in exactly seven days!!! I.cannot.wait. big races are the best. The energy of that many people getting ready to challenge themselves is incomparable and indescribable. The whole atmosphere is electric and I cannot wait to be in the middle of it again. I'm going to meet a couple of DMers there as well, so I can already tell its going to be a great weekend.

And lastly, since watching PunkRockRunner finish his first IronMan, I've decided that I too would like to do tris. Now, I'm not planning on full IronMans. No way. That takes way more mental toughness that I can summon at the present time. I want to start with Sprint and Olympic distances first. So, since I know someone who is an avid rider and swimmer who wants to start running more, I have challenged her to do the Mission Bay Triathlon. Most importantly, SHE ACCEPTED! So, as soon as I get back from SF and rest up for a week, I will begin training for a triathlon. That last sentence is probably the most insane thing I have ever written.

But first, SF! Lets get that done!