A Need For Speed and Other Observations

Participated in the 8km Resolution Run that Peninsula Runners puts on every Jan. 1st. I say "participated" because I was only racing it for the first five minutes when my breathing got so harsh I had to slow myself down to keep from hyperventilating. I felt thoroughly out-classed. I think more contenders were out this year (or I'm just getting old and slower) as there were tons of guys who took off from the start and just kept going, out of sight. I had nothing to answer with. Having done nothing you could vaguely call speed work since the summer I guess that's my excuse. I can't use the hungover excuse because I didn't touch a drop last night. I finished thirty-two seconds slower than last year and twenty-three back of '06 but felt like it would be two minutes when I crossed the line. Maybe I should drink the night before a race.

The sign-up for the Chuckanut 50km opened today. I registered online at 8:30 and was the 92nd person to do so. Are these trail races starting to be as popular as some road races that fill up in hours or even minutes? Hopefully not or I might have to find even more obscure events to do. As of 2:37pm there are 174 people registered with a limit of 350 being imposed.



Do toe nails have memory? Seems like every time I traumatize one it falls off quicker afterwards. The H2H one was less than three weeks and now the Texas one jumped ship today without any argument only twenty-four days later. Now I have matching big toes (send requests for pictures). I didn't feel any discomfort from the run today and then after the ocean dip it decides it's ready. Oh, yeah, we also hit the ocean at noon today, part of a three year tradition with the family. The kids did not do it this year save for the ankles but Carrie, sister Karen and myself took the plunge to clear the cobwebs for the start of another year.