the enchiladas made us sick, tome 3

...it seems like things couldn't be better. But at the same time I'm back to doing what I figured I would be doing. I was thinking could I be doing more than what I was currently doing. I guess it kinda hit me this afternoon as I was streaming the Teenage Bottlerocket album. Hadn't I heard this before? Well yeah. It was basically the same songs from their previous albums. I guess when you have a routine why not wash, rinse, and repeat. Some people have grand plans. I am not one of those people. I kinda have reflected on the changes that have gone through me since I have moved from Charlotte. Honestly I feel that I'm much more relaxed, much more laid back, and much more aware that there is a lifespan on certain things. I guess that leads me to something that I'm planning this year.

So I've run two marathons in the past year and I'm gonna give it a go one more time. I'm gonna see what these old bones have left in them and try one more time. I've ran two marathons and frankly they've been crappy. I've got one more chance to see what happens. After the marathon it might be some time before I run one again. My first hiatus from marathon running was over three years. If that same time table happens again, I don't really want to be that old guy trying back to reclaim some previous glory. So I'm figuring that the marathon that I'm going to run is Thunder Road back in the QC. I guess it's fitting that the circle of life is going to end where it started. Back in 2005 when I didn't have a clue of what I was doing. Now it will be seven years later. I'll be going for a fast time of sub 2:40 and honestly if I can't do that, then it's time to hang it up. Time to move on. Of course I have a tentative race schedule set up for the fall that will give me an understanding of where my fitness is.

For this month I'm going to run the Rockville Twilight 8k. I ran it last year and honestly I know going into the race this year I'll be in better shape and a better mentality. I ran 27:22 last year and sub 27 is the goal. I have to remain calm and relaxed at the beginning, where I ran a 5:05 for the first mile last year. I also know the course fairly well and have an idea of what to expect. I feel that my training will be going well, but the main goal race for this month will be the TrySports 5k on the track at Weddington High School.

What's that you ask? Don't they have 5k races in DC? Well I'm sure they do, but you know when I saw that the race got pushed back to the end of the month, I knew this was kismet telling me to race. I ran the first TrySports 5k race back in 2008 at Marvin Ridge and I gotta rep the old school jersey at this race. My goal for this race is a 15:50. And if that happens, hell I'll shave my beard off right on the spot!

After that I might run the Blue Points 5k depending on how I run on the track. I'll have to see. After that I'll have a break until I run another 5k in Maryland. The Kentlands 5k, which is a stud race and I'll have a chance to mix it up with faster runners. Then I'll be doing a half marathon, the Navy-Air Force Half Marathon. I'm going to see where my fitness is to determine what time I should run. After that I'll run the Boo Run For Your Life 10k again. Seeing that I ran a 35:05 last year and that it's a pancake course, I don't see why I can't run a PR at this course and go under 34. And then it's the race in Charlotte. I'm sure there will be a lot of expectations. I'm not really worried about where my fitness will be. I feel that I'll be fit and I'll have the mileage to get me where I'm going. But the main thing I'm worried about (and if you ask more people, they will say this is something that always holds me back) is my mental fortitude. What will by my mental state when things start to go off course in the slightest manner. It's a long race and I'm not the sharpest person to be mentally strong. It's been around mile 17 and 18 in the past two races where I've felt it. I need to make sure that I get over that mental barrier.

So that's where I'm standing to the people (person?) that reads this give me your opinion.