Chilly, Gusty, Uphilly

I could have used the word "windy" but I encouraged HoneyBunny to use "gust" as a rhyming word with "must" as part of her spelling homework.
We practice spelling words 4 nights/week.

Oh.
But I don't think that's true in all of her classmates' households.
Thus, in addition to the spelling games I invented to make spelling practice tolerable, we also now have been assigned spelling homework at least 2 nights/week.

Where am I going with this?

Here:
Look out Japan!
The USA may have been struggling with test scores and leaving children behind, but no more!
We mean business.

Hmm, let's get back to chilly, gusty, uphilly.

It had been about 70 degrees here in PA for the past week.

For my run tonight it was 41 degrees.
Chilly.

And that change in temperature must be courtesy of a "front" moving in. Or out.
Bringing or leaving with wind.
20+ MPH gusts.
Gusty.

And my 6+ mile run tonight followed dropping off our "3rd car" for inspection.
(Yes, I'm overdoing the "quotes" tonight.)

And from the mechanic's garage, it is 6+ miles uphill to get home.
Uphilly.

I almost bailed on this run.
It was not going to be pleasant.

Saving grace?
At some point tonight, cloud cover rolled out exposing a sliver of a moon and a handful of stars.
Just enough beauty to get me out the door.
Even if the cloud cover had returned when I went out the door.

And it was a tough run home, walking at one point on the steepest hill.
And avoiding cars on that same hill. No shoulder. Cars flying downhill. Not expecting to be driving straight at a runner.

But I feel great now that I got the run in.

I felt so great, I acknowledged a couple of emails to register for races this weekend and next.
Yes, despite "quitting" the season.

Still, I might not race them.
Neither are logistically kind to me.

But we'll see how it goes.
Has to be easier than a chilly, gusty, uphilly run.

Quit

I'm pretty sure my 2011 racing year is over.

This upcoming weekend has 3 races.
A 2-miler, 5K and 5-miler.
I signed up for all 3 last year.
I signed up for none this year.

I've done two 5K's in the past month.
Both finished about 21:30.
Which I'm happy with.

Signed up for the 20in24 again last week.
8 months away.
Again, focused on 100 miles in 24 hours.

Not sure why I keep putting myself through that.
"That" exhausting training.
It's fun I guess.
And I keep learning.

I was -this- close last year.
A few small changes are due.

Longer long runs. Need to approach 50 miles in a training run or two.
Heat acclimation. Need to overdress for my training runs.
Blood pressure. Need to make the lifestyle changes to reduce my blood pressure so I'm not stopping for medical checks.

But I'm getting ahead of myself.

One good thing about this fall is weight training.
I've been lifting upperbody for almost 3 months now.
I feel stronger and along with some core strengthening I've accepted the need to work total body.

And so I've quit at the tail end of the racing season.
That will bring a splash of regret.
I could stand to improve my 2-miler PR :-)

Maybe next year.