Into the light...

The past week or so has been a pretty darn good for running.  The biggest change has been the time.  It has been SO nice to get up in the mornings and start running as the sun starts to rise, rather than in complete darkness.  It makes a surprising difference in my outlook.  Yesterday, I was able to find a great trail between the park and the high school for some intense hill repeats.  I never would have run back there in the dark.


I finally feel like I am back in the groove.  I have a training plan I like and my legs have that constant feeling of just a little soreness.  You know that feeling?  The good soreness after a good workout.  It feels like a perfect balance of working hard enough to get stronger without getting injured.  Yesterday's hill repeats were hard and was definitely feeling it going up the stairs.  Today's run felt a bit full of lead, but afterward I had that delicious soreness.  I love it!


There area couple of things that marred this great running week.  The first was finding out that my friend is injured and can't run.  We were going to run the Santa Barbara Half Marathon next weekend.  I am bummed because it would be the first time that she and I would be running together.  I feel horrible for her because I know that not being able to run is killing her.  This was to be her first half marathon.  She is already a triathlon stud, so I suspected that she would have given me quite a run for my money to keep up with her.  I am not running the race; I can't see doing it without her.  There will be plenty of other races.


The other thing was finding out that the Carlsbad Half Marathon is sold out.  That was my favorite race and my half marathon PR.  Last year it sold out in early December.  I never would have guessed that it would sell out the last week of October.  I am sure that I can find a bib on Craigslist or the Carlsbad Half Marathon facebook page,* but then I have to pay a twenty dollar transfer fee, in addition to a somewhat high priced race fee.  I am already spending a lot of money on race fees with two marathons on the horizon.  In addition, I seemed to have moved to a racing mecca**.  I know that I am going to be spending more money in race fees.  I feel bad because so many of my Rockin' Mamas are running it.  The AFC race was so much fun and I would love to hang with everyone again.  I almost feel like I am letting them down.


Despite a few bits of bad news, I feel like things are so much better than they were a month ago.  I feel like I have left a period of darkness and it is gradually getting lighter and lighter.





*There are already several dozen requests for bibs on the page.  It seems to be an incredibly popular race this year.  I bet they could have sold out a race double the size.
**The Greater Los Angeles area.