This year's first race-day weekend

This is something of a step back week in my training for a very quickly approaching half marathon. I had a pretty difficult workout on Tuesday that was supposed to be speed repeats but I added in hills and ran at a faster pace than I probably should have for hills and felt every minute of my 40 years by the time I was finished. But the rest of the week is pretty easy. Yesterday, rather than my usual 45-60 minute tempo run I was due for only a 30 minute tempo run. And it went terrifically. It was one of those runs where my legs felt light, my feet felt springy, my breathing was easy. I was almost sorry that it was only a 30 minute run.

And it's nice to have that kind of run, because this weekend is my first race of the year, the Cherry Blossom 10 Miler. I set my 10 Mile race PR there last year, so I need some confidence going into it this year if I hope to beat that record this year. As of right now, I have every reason to believe I will beat my record, and I'm thinking that I could beat it by over a minute. So I have some confidence.

What I don't have confidence in? My running friends. I met up with a bunch in Las Vegas last December for the Las Vegas Rock n Roll Marathon and Half Marathon. It was great. We had a big pre-race dinner, we had a great post-race celebration at a great, festive place. And several of us who live on this side of the country decided we'd meet up for the Cherry Blossom. So I thought it was going to be a mini-Vegas get together, D.C. style, with 4 or 5 running friends.


Unfortunately, the cherry blossoms aren't really going to be around for the Cherry Blossom 10 Miler.
How's it turning out? Welp, pretty much everyone either bailed on the run or won't be available for anything other than the race itself. Not exactly Vegas-like. But I'm staying at the same hotel I stayed at last year, so I can return to the same sports bar there and get the same pre-race meal I ate last year before my PR-setting run and I can get a good night's rest.

I'm all about routine, and I'm a notorious loner, so I think I'm secretly happy I get to retrace my steps from last year and don't have to be burdened with interacting with people when I'm at my most neurotic.

It's good see the spring racing season coming into full view. Here's to a PR-setting one for all this year!