Monday night pesto making extravaganza. 20 gallon bag filled full from the garden, reduced to a mere 12 Ziploc bags.
I got a few questions from the last post asking why Auburn's Men's Cross Country Team was so slow. They aren't. They won All-State this year. Three of the guys, I know, can run 17:00 5ks. But, the rest of them may be slower than this middle aged woman! For them, these summer races aren't 'real' and the humidity makes it feel +100'F. Even in this day of greater gender equality, its still a slap in the face for a runner to get chicked. This is your word of the day. It was coined by an ultramarathoner to define the humiliation of having a female runner pass you. I enjoy ruining their day: "a woman older than your mom beat you, dude!".
I will be eager to race in the Fall when the temperatures drop into the 60's. That is the ideal running temperature. There exists an equation to predict race times at any given temperature, predicting how many seconds you lose by running on either side of the ideal temp. My 22:30 in 95'F should equal 21:00 at 65'F. I'll have to wait a few more months to prove that theory.
In the meanwhile, we're still on marathon training duty. Yes, we--Cole is recuperating from his hip injury and is back at my side for most runs. I missed that little idiot!
After many months of debate, I have decided to run the Boston Marathon next year. I'm uncomfortable in crowds, big cities do not charm me, so I'm compromising. I'm not staying the average 3 days most runners do and I'm not staying downtown. Cole, Dad and I will park ourselves off a few miles from the hubbub and only for two days. While I race, Cloe will be housed in a Club Suite at a dog spa.
 |
| Cole's home away from home in Boston. |
As soon as the marathon is over, the Smith trio will head Down East before looping back through Ottawa, Ontario and onto Alabama.
Tomorrow, the trio will meet up in DC--if I can make through one more crazy day at work! All the tiresome work of preparing for an expedition is always rewarded once the trip begins.
Embrace life, my friends--unless I missed the memo, we only get one chance at it!
Proceed boldly, Jamie and Cole
