One life

     It is an absolutely stunning fall day here.  I could live in this weather forever.  I love Indian summer and both of its definitions....maybe I love the second meaning even more than the first.

In·di·an sum·mer

noun

1. a period of unusually dry, warm weather occurring in late autumn.

   • a period of happiness or success occurring late in life.

We were going to run forever and be the oldest (and probably slowest) runners out there. We still will be. He's by my side.

                                                             I run for Dean

Goal-setting time

   
     I am starting to consider goals for next year.  I love this quote.

Hot Chocolate 15 k

     The Hot Chocolate 15k yesterday was fun.  The weather was cool and overcast....a great thing.  It took me one hour and 51 min. to run 9.4 miles.  I was 37 out of 60 in my age bracket. Someday I'll be faster.  Here are some things that made the effort worthwhile:

Cool finisher's medal and jacket

Friends

More friends (Note portapotties are de rigueur for backgrounds in running pics)

Plus I rewarded myself with new shoes (just call me Imelda--remember her?)

     I am sore today.

Marathon truth

     This applies for all lengths of races for me.  Today is the Hot Chocolate 15k.  All the chocolate at the end will make it all worth the effort, though.

     Again up at the dark of 3 am to eat, walk the dog, and leave for light rail by 4:45.  It should be cold at the start, just a 20% chance of rain so fingers crossed it'll stay dry.  I know at least 2 dozen people running or walking the 5k or the 15k.  It should be fun. Like I said.....fingers crossed.
     I have a couple of friends running a trail marathon in Fort Collins today.  I can't even imagine running 26.2 miles on mountainous trails with 4000 ft. elevation gain. That is insanity. So my race should be a piece of cake (chocolate, of course.  see what I did there?)

Now Autumn's fire burns slowly along the woods and day by day the dead leaves fall and melt.----Wm. Allingham

     Tipping point reached.  It is now officially the time for long sleeves, long pants and jackets.....the time for sweaters, slippers, headlamps outdoors and furnace heat in.  No more shorts and t-shirts. Hot tea replaces iced. Soup instead of salad.
     It is not yet time, though, for boots, shovels, yaktrax to keep footing, wool caps, mittens, and parkas, so life is good.

     It is not all bad.  I just mowed the lawn for the last time this season.  Woo Hoo!

“Autumn is the eternal corrective. It is ripeness and color and a time of maturity; but it is also breadth, and depth, and distance. What man can stand with autumn on a hilltop and fail to see the span of his world and the meaning of the rolling hills that reach to the far horizon?” – Hal Borland

My favorite pun of the week:

     Twenty five days until marathon time.  I am constantly muscularly exhausted and every other day I eat absolutely everything not nailed down.  I crave all the carbs. I guess this is where I am supposed to be at this point in training? I have only one long run left the first of next week and then taper time.  Yay. It can't come too soon or I will gain ten pounds.