Looking towards Fall

I want my cake and I want to eat it too. Is that so much to ask? I want the warm, sunshiny days of summer where I can leave the house in a skirt and tank top with no worries about catching a chill, but I also want the crispness of an autumn morning to invigorate me on my run. This morning, the temperature and humidity level were enough to cause me to feel weary of this summer and ready to move on.

Still, it's been worse and I suppose it will likely only get better from here on out, but I couldn't help but think of the PDR only a little more than two weeks away and I recalled my awful experience last year with the hot weather and interminable porto-potty lines. I'm hoping this year will be different. This will be my fifth half marathon - my third time running PDR. I've never gone under two hours at the PDR, but have in both of my other halfs... which doesn't really make sense since the other course I've run (Lehigh Valley Half - both times) is hillier. I'm hoping to go under two hours this year. I guess we shall see.

So... on to my run for the day... Did the Seeba loop again. Not much wildlife out and about this morning. I did get up close and personal with a lovely redtailed hawk sitting on the side of the trail. He allowed me to get about four feet away from him before he took flight, crossing the trail and giving me a nice view of his namesake red tail. Other than that... just bunnies... lots and lots of bunnies.

My running felt pretty good at the outset. I started to get tired and overheated around the third mile. I'm sure I'm not the only one who does this, but I make myself little deals - like I'll push it until a certain familiar bend in the trail and then I'll ease off a little. I try little tricks like that to keep myself motivated... sometimes it works and sometimes it doesn't. Today I could have sworn that somehow the trail got longer - like those bulldozers clearing the space between the two loops must have somehow stretched out the path. The last mile and a half were uncomfortable but I just tried to think that this is what training is supposed to be - it's not supposed to feel comfortable or easy. Racing sure doesn't. So I just tried to think that this bit of discomfort will help prepare for the discomfort that surely will be the 13.1 miles of the PDR.

6.5 in 57:30