The Off Season

I'm officially here. The off season. Last swim was Sunday. The last bike on Saturday was cancelled, due to thunder for the first time ever. So, It's just me and my running for a while. I figure since running is my big weakness, I can't backslide even for a moment. And our indoor bike training for Eagleman doesn't start until December 1st.
Speaking of running, that has been going really well. I've actually been getting up 15 minutes earlier so I could add a mile to my run. I've been running 2-3 times a week, and taking fewer and fewer breaks. Much of the progress is due to newfound old workout partner who took last season off, but now is back full throttle. We alway rode together in the past, but I could never run with her because I took too many walk breaks. Now, with a little patience on her part, I'm actually RUNNING with her. Great.
I joke that she is my new personal trainer, which of course she isn't but her influence over my running has been strong enough to earn the nickname. Actually ran a mile with no walk break at all, except for the 3 seconds it took for her to give me that, "what are you doing stopping?" look and for me to start running again. I guess I'm an optimist because I was hoping that I'd be alble to beat my PR of 10.21 with that loop...but guess again. I'm a faster runner when I walk part of the way. I guess I just need to focus on one thing at a time -- first running without stopping, then speed.

Running at this time of year is beautiful, even if it is at 5:45 a.m. It was cold. And pitch black except for some moonlight. Running in the moonlight kinda' sorta' rocks. I can't wait to do it again. The only problem is in the shaddows of the trees, you can't see jack. I came within millimeters of actually running into someone coming the opposite way. Good thing I run slow, it gave us both just enough time to dodge and giggle at the absurdity of it all. But with the marathon coming up in just a few weeks, it just make sense. You've got to get your training in somehow. I didn't realize until moving the workout time up by 15 minutes that actually there is a whole set of runners that finishes at 6 a.m., which is how I used to be able to get such a great parking space at 6 and now, I park much farther away.