90 minutes...

...of the start of the marathon/half-marathon summer training program meeting. Yep folks, I've done it again. Forked over my 30 bucks to the good folks at the CTC, and put my summer leisure time in the hands of Coach Mark. And this time around I even joined the CTC. So there you go.

I'm leaning toward the Buck Mountain Half Marathon, but I worry about it being a little too low-key. There were only 80 finishers last year - I'd be last or next to last, for sure. But hey, it's a marked course, with clocks and stuff. And I know at least one other person who is going to run it. I figure if it goes REALLY well, I could just up and run Richmond four weeks later. But I just can't mentally commit to another marathon right now, not with a long and humid summer stretching out in front of me.

I felt oddly bittersweet about reupping. Invigorated with the thought of engaging my body and brain in that way again. But sad, almost to the point of tears, that I'll never have another first marathon. I could run a 4 hour marathon, and I don't think it will ever feel as good to cross the finish line as it did in Richmond. It wasn't until I missed my goal in the ten-miler 4.5 months later that I came down off that high.

What's that old camp song? "I can't be contented with yesterday's glories..." Indeed. So I'm looking for new glory. In the form of 10:30 miles for the half. Scoff all you want, fast athletes, this is a BIG DEAL for me. It's going to take a radically different program than I had last summer to get there. I'm hoping to put in good long runs on Saturdays, big workouts on Mondays (be it running, cross training, or some combo of both), and little workouts during lunch Tuesday through Friday. That's six days a week. Last summer, I don't think I ever once ran and/or worked out more than four days, and usually only 3. By doing a half, I have the luxury of concentrating on quality, rather than quantity. Not having to squeeze in 8 miles on a weekday will really free me up to do other things - drills, speedwork, strength.