August 6, 2007 | Filed under: I Run Therefore I Am, Is She Still Talking?

Where did this weather come from? Saturday it was 102 and then yesterday it was 74. I’m not kidding — these stats came from weather.com. 74?!? In August?? Where do you think we are, Wisconsin? It was more of the same today — hanging around the house, I had to wear jeans. And a long-sleeved shirt, once the sun went down.

I took advantage of the cooler weather to open all the windows and doors and let the place air-condition itself naturally. And I used the oven. A lot. You’d think I was putting up a store for winter or something: bran muffins, 2 loaves of zucchini bread, a roasted chicken, and turkey burgers cooked under the broiler. The chicken stock is simmering on the stove now.

The weather also afforded me a glorious run yesterday. Not so glorious, distance-wise, as I got started too late for a long run and was chasing the last remnants late and was chasing the last remnants of sunlight by the time I finished, squinting into the dark to identify my car from fifteen feet away, but a gloriously not-overheated run — the first of its kind in weeks.

Speaking of running, I made an amazing discovery this weekend. Namely, I’m behind in my training plan. Again. Today is the first day of week 4 (of 12). I’m running another half marathon in October, and I knew it was in October, but I thought it was later in the month, so I haven’t really been worried about “training” so much lately as simply “getting to the gym.” When I finally counted the weeks back, I discovered I should have begun training three weeks ago. Whoops. And I’ve stepped it up to the “intermediate” training regimen as opposed to the “novice” plan from last time, which pretty much means I’m going to be kicking my own ass for the next 9 weeks. It won’t be pretty.

My sanity is still somewhat intact, however, as this race offers both a half and a full marathon and I’m opting for the half. I looked at the course and the entire marathon consists of running the half marathon course twice. The exact same course. Twice. In a row. I may be mildly deranged, but I am not insane enough to sign up for that sort of torture. Here I am, running past the finish line…oh wait! That’s only the halfway point. Now do it all over again! No freakin’ way. I know my limits, and if I’m going to run 26.2 miles, the halfway point had better be about 13 miles away from the finish line.

Finally, I think I should give up on watching Giants baseball. Perhaps then Barry Bonds will break the record and we can all go back to rooting against the Yankees. Ten days ago, when he hit HR #754, he did so while I flipped to a different channel at the commercial and didn’t get back to the game in a timely fashion. Saturday I put groceries away before settling onto the couch to watch the game. I turned the game on in the second inning, two batters after Bonds hit HR #755. Of course. (PS — Cubs? Please to be getting rid of that hot streak, OK? My Brewer-loving heart can’t take the stress. I’ll pull for you next year, I swear. Thanks much.)

1. badgergirl says:
   

   Send some of those 70s to Wisconsin please! This daily dose of mid to upper 80s and super humid is starting to get old.

   Good luck with the half marathon training!

   August 7th, 2007 at 9:09 am