August 29, 2011

With the heat continuing to rise, it is difficult to believe summer break has ended.  Instead of embracing this fact, I was able to extend it just a bit longer this evening.  With my Monday ending at an unbelievable 6 p.m., I opted for a bit of relaxation at Barton Springs Pool where I met Kate and two of her friends visiting from Ireland.  I wasn't able to hop in for a swim as I forgot to bring a towel, but laying on the lawn was about as relaxing as an early Monday evening could be.  Although the temperature was well above 100 degrees, there was a cool breeze coming off of the pool making the air feel much less stifling.  With less people than usual, it was also serene and quiet, intermittently punctuated by the sound of the diving board popping, followed shortly by the sound of a splash in the water.  If there was a soundtrack for the end of summer, I think these sounds would be on it. 

August 28, 2011

I'd originally planned on beginning the day running, as in continued running I'd begun the night before.  This was not in the cards for me and, instead, I began the day sleeping.  In fact, I spent nearly the entire asleep, although I did keep it interesting my sleeping in various places.  My first bout of sleep was followed by brunch at Jack Allen's Kitchen on Highway 71.  Afterwards, I took a warm nap in the shade by the pool.  Despite being in the shade, I was so drained from the sun I needed a post-nap nap inside.  After dinner and some lounging while spectating, I trudged back to bed.  I'm assuming the mental acrobats, and perhaps the running, from last night are what led to an entirely exhausted me today.  Nothing wrong with a lazy, sleep-filled Sunday, though!  

August 27, 2011

Tonight was a lesson in limits and respecting those limits.  After my last 30K in Johnson City, I began experiencing some inner knee pain with my left knee.  I tried a short recovery run a few days after the race and could barely finish.  I decided to hold off on running to allow the knee to heal before tonight's 60K and opted for yoga, instead.  As I toed the start line tonight, I was nervous as to how my knee would hold up.  Before the first aid station, which was four miles into the race, my knee began to ache.  Every step was painful.  After finishing the first 15K loop, I took some ibuprofen and began my second loop.  I've learned these races involve a fair number of cost-benefit analyses:  forgo filling up water to save time versus ensuring I have enough until the next station; solid food versus a packet of peanut butter; finishing the 60K this evening versus being able to run 50 miles at Cactus Rose.  Painfully, in a power of will kind of way, I made the decision to drop out of the race at the 30K mark.  While I felt a great deal of disappointment in not finishing a goal I'd set for myself, I am proud of my resolve to respect my ultimate race goal and listen to the cues my body was giving me.  Plus, I should keep reminding myself that running a 30K, at night, at the height the hottest summer on record, is nothing to scoff at.  Off to recover, I go. 

August 26, 2011

Austin is such a small town, yet I'm always surprised who I run into in the most random of places.  About a month or so ago, I sold my car so I could buy my Land Rover, Brutus.  I put an advertisement for the car on Craigslist and made a deal with the first person to respond.  His car had just decided to call it a day, so he was looking for something cheap and dependable.  After an amazingly quick and painless transaction at the University Federal Credit Union on the Drag, we shook hands and went our separate ways.  Today, however, I ran into him at the original Kerbey Lane Cafe.  We caught up, me asking how the car was treating him and he asking how school was going for me.  Had he not mentioned he parked in front of me outside, I'm thinking I may have tried to drive off in my old car out of sheer habit.  I felt a slight twinge of nostalgia as I drove past my dear old Elana.