<- Left Turns Only!

Last week certainly wasn’t the best week I’ve known.  After doing my taxes and figuring out that I owed the crooks, I mean, the government a good chunk of change - my car decided it was going to stop running.  One blown head gasket, and another good chunk of change… not the way I was planning to start my first week of training.

Somewhere amidst all of the mess, I forgot that I made a commitment to help a friend out with a favor on Saturday before going to the Cubs game that afternoon.  Since I didn’t make the trip home to do the usual calendar check, end of the week office cleaning, etc. (sans a car I decided to stay in suburbia on Friday) I somewhere lost track of my dates for the week…. and would find out when I got back Saturday afternoon.  As I cleaned around the house, and went through the mail, I checked my calendar and realized that the 5k I was hoping to run on Sunday, actually took place that morning! 

Not really sure when I started to think the race was on Sunday, since I had marked my calendar that it was on Saturday.  In the middle of all the running around last week, somewhere I started thinking it was a Sunday race.  I did get out on Sunday morning to get a good lakefront run in, the weather was perfect.  Although it would have been nice to get the 5k in (mainly, I really picked this race because they were giving out Nike Dri-fit t-shirts instead of the usual crappy t-shirt that I end up turning into rags for sharpening my skates).

Next 5k on the schedule isn’t until May 12th…. so for now, this week, the runs get a little longer (up from 30-45 min to 45-60 min) and intensity will increase some.  A work trip to Las Vegas (25-28) will definitely help, as we’re looking at some dreary weather here at the end of the week.  A couple of morning runs through Las Vegas should make for some interesting sights!

Training - week one has commenced.  Nothing to intense right now, easy half-hour jog on Monday, quick weight routine on Tuesday, and combination of light weights and rowing yesterday.  I’m extending the time on the jog today and tomorrow, then I’ll be running my first 5k of the year on Sunday morning.  (Wrigley Start Early 5k)  I’m using this 5k as my baseline for the rest of the summer training plan, which tentatively includes six 5k races, two 10k races, and two half-marathons.  The final race being a 5k on labor day.

Other news - the world has shown itself to be a crazy place yet again, as a demented individual took 32 lives at Virginia Tech University on Monday.  I don’t have any answers, but one can only hope that candlelight vigils don’t become a normal occurrence in our self-absorbed, media-crazed society.

While it is looking like I will be paying Uncle Sam a few dollars this tax season, I’m certainly not in a hurry to finish filing.  No point sending him my money too soon.  

Regardless of how the IRS tries, April 15th is going to be a good day… as that is the first day of the new season for me! 

I’m only planning to get out for a quick run in the morning.  Hey, ya gotta start somewhere!  However, on Saturday I’m getting the new running shoes, finishing up my (early) season planning and visiting a few gyms to see who can offer the best deal on a six month membership - need to build a little more strength and add a few pounds of muscle before the season gets here.

Lots on the schedule this summer, including many road races.  The main one being a half marathon in California (Napa to Sonoma) on July 15th, followed by the Chicago Distance Classic on August 12th.

For now, still enjoying the days off… but getting antsy to start moving again.