Chill

Okay, I'm calm again. 34 miles around the Bay area on foot will do that to you. And having your boss send out an announcement of your new job title and responsibilities that sound - even though you gave her the words in your own job description - overwhelming. But I digress.

It was a long and exhausting week last week but the weekend sprang forth with much entertainment and activity. It began Friday at the wine bar celebrating uber runner Rick Gaston's 37th. Many familiar faces came out to wish him the best. Out until almost 3 and with the aroma of wine still hovering around him, he managed to scrape himself together to meet me @ 6:30am the next morning to head over to Mt. Tam for a long run with the Endurables group.

It was supposed to be 4 loops - 4th optional but extremely encouraged. However, after a grueling 2nd loop with much walking on the steep sections (Dipsea, Steep Ravine) and a frustratingly slow pace, and the addition of a light rain, we decided to reel it in after 3. Still, the 3 took us up and down Mt. Tam several times, across old familiar trails and new ones I'd never seen. Through redwoods and open expanses, we ran trails in near solitude. When would 22 miles ever seem like you'd settled for less? Oh, right. If you're training for a 30 mile race. (Rick is training for the 50-miler.)

Hungry and cold we headed back into the city where I met up with Jessica to get pedicures at Milk on Polk. Very cute place. As I scraped the mud off my legs so they wouldn't think I'd just come down from the mountains, Jessica set us up with a bottle of champagne. However long later and with fabulous looking feet we headed up to Rex's so I could devour a hamburger and a few glasses of red wine while outside it grew darker and colder. A perfect ending. Of course, I looked like Bigfoot's little sister. Not ideal on a Saturday night when cute boys were coming out for an early cocktail and I was huddling in my homie hat with ponytail askew and salt from my sweat dried on my face. Still, I had the running skirt going for me and great toenails.

Sunday morning came way too soon and with it the beginning of another run with Jenny, my fellow IMC friend and training partner extraordinaire. Our coach, Jim, had told us that we'd need to do another run on Sunday - to practice running on tired legs. Again, when would you need to follow up a 22 mile run with another 13 the next day?? It's crazy but you drink the kool-aid and you survive. And you actually feel okay. We met early at Ocean Beach in gale force winds but were quickly warmed up heading into Land's End and out on the coastal trail. Jenny took me off-route just past the sand ladder onto a great path lined with stairs down to Marsha's Beach and back up again. It must have been an extra 500 ft of vertical but it was beautiful. Through the Presidio we ran into Dana, Kara and Cheyenne then a friend of Jenny's and then Mary running solo at the top of a hill. It was a gorgeous day after the rain fall and all the sporty girls were out. We finished tired but feeling good about having gone back out. Less than one month to go to race day!

On a side note, many congratulations to you, Andrea, on your juicy accomplishment!