what next?

so, how am I doing?

On Monday, I did a little run around the neighborhood - only 1.5 m.

Tuesday. I left for swim class, and realized I forgot my towel and didn't want to go. I have access to 2 pools - one which is 3 blocks away, new, clean, and usually not very crowded. Second choice is about 20 blocks away, hot, crowded, old, and kinda of dirty. The locker rooms are really foul in my opinion. Unfortunately, that is where my swim class is held. The swim class itself is also unpleasant. The teacher (really a college student on the swim team) puts a list of drills on a whiteboard. There are 2 lanes reserved for the class, and usually 4 of us to a lane. Although this class has definitely improved my swimming, I just find it to be pretty miserable. Anyway, on Tuesday I did the next best thing - swam 500 meters at the pool I prefer. I think this will probably be my MO for a while.

Wednesday. Travel for work; rest.

Thursday. Planned to run in the AM, but went back to sleep instead. Ran 3.5 on the treadmill near the office after work. Tried to do some speed intervals - cranked it up to 8 and 9 miute/mile paces, which is super fast for me. I was very sweaty and a little shaky afterwards.

Friday. Will try and find some time to run today, but it is hot already and we are heading to the beach later. We'll see what happens. Need to do a long (8m) run tomorrow or Sunday, probably tomorrow, and a shorter one the other day. Maybe we'll go surfing or mountain biking too.

I feel good about the races I've completed this year. I am probably in better shape than I have been since highschool. Maybe better. I have been just starting out, and my race goals are usually straightforward - "finish". So, I've done that.

I think it's time to set my goals a little higher. When I look around these races, I am surrounded by people who are older, fatter, somehow disabled; and yes, faster. Some people really push themselves to the limit - they are huffing and puffing and groaning their way past me. I really never get to that point, and I don't like being pushed to anywhere close to my limits. But, I would like to get faster. And I know it's all in my head - I am able-bodied. I don't expect to be speed racer, but I should be able to improve speeds by 15%. Time to start really testing myself. No time like the present.

65 days to the Mighty Hamptons. 114 days to the NYC marathon.