It's my parents' fault...

L--of course I will enjoy the California sunshine and the fermented fruit juice! But perhaps some family history will provide perspective on my urge to strive for excellence.

I can remember my Dad at the dinner table pronouncing, "I win!" gleefully, after he finished every evening meal before my mother, brother and I. I could never beat him.

When I was about 4, my mother and I were sitting on her bed looking through the childhood treasures which she kept in a cigar box. Among the saved items was a blue ribbon which she won as a girl at a County fair race in her native Selby, South Dakota. I was intrigued by that prize and asked to have it, but she said I would have to earn my own some day. Bummer! That set the stage for my competitive running career. Out of 200 plus races, there are fewer than a dozen times when I've gone home empty handed. If you aren't the winner, then you're first loser, and who likes that???

Stopping to drink the roses

I got off work early today (we always close at 3pm the day before a holiday) and took advantage of this to go for a run on the national mall. I hadn't been running outside here in DC for a couple of really cold months, but we're having an unseasonably warm spell. That combined with the days getting a little longer, and I was able to once again get down to the Washington monument in time for the sunset (and yes, this means that even though I got home at 4 I still didn't get my butt out the door until 6:00, and in fact it was seeing mom's post about winning every race ever that made me put on my running shoes and head out the door). Anyway, it really is spectacular to see the sun set behind the Lincoln memorial and mirrored in the reflecting pool and see the planes take off from Reagan once I get down there. The run back (especially on a Friday) is the leg that the view has to make up for: dodging people and breathing in secondhand cigarette smoke and smog, etc.

I'm trying to slowly build my mileage throughout February and March so that I can start a training program in April for the 1/2 marathon. And hopefully I'll have the Bridge Run and a 5k in Baltimore in between for some short-term goals.

I've noticed a trend...My mom's posts are all about win, win, win, go, go, go, and "training schedules," and discipline, whereas mine are always more about the visceral experience of running. I'm hoping she can stop to smell the roses (er, drink the wine?) a little in California and just enjoy it. You will mom, right?

Sold Out!

Just checked the Napa/Sonoma website and they reached their cap on the half marathon registration on Jan 28th. So it sounds like it is a popular race that will keep its unique character and not get overrun.

My Charlie Post 5K finish time was 24:46, exactly the same as the Resolution Run, with an excuse for not improving being that it was not a goal race and I "trained through" it. I was pleased to win the Grandmaster trophy, a cute little replica of the Sullivan's Island lighthouse, my 5th at this race. Owing to the natural physiologic slowing that occurs with age, most big races have a masters (fastest over 40 years of age) and grandmasters (over 50) winner for both males and females. Some really progressive races add a senior master category for those racers over 60. I'm waaayyy over 60. I got the GM award because a speedy 50 year old lady beat all the over 40 ladies, giving her the Masters award.

I am looking forward to the next race, an 8K (5 miler) weekend after next!