Spring Break

 

Spring Break. Just 2 years ago, Spring Break used to be the start of my running season. It's incredible how much things have changed over the last year!

Most years, I sign up for the 500 Festival Mini-Marathon. I think I just do it out of habit now. And most years, I always want to run it faster than the year before. It's my mentality when I toe a starting line. Whether I'm prepared or not, if I toe a line, my intention is to run a race, run faster than I ever have before.

I admit it - I am a fair weather runner. I don't generally run outside if its too cold or too hot or if it's pouring rain. I just don't enjoy it. Therefore, most years, I would start my running for the year on Spring Break - in Florida - on a strip of A1A that runs the length of Hutchinson Island in Fort Pierce where my in-laws stay in the winter.

Before the new balanced school year calendar that started this year, Spring Break was the first week in April. That would give me, oh, 3-4 weeks at best to go from 0 to 13.1. And yes, I had mastered my 0 to 13.1 training schedule. It always got me to the finish line... in 2-O-something, but never less.

Last year I decided I wanted under 2:00 again. Besides, I wasn't getting any younger and 0 to 13.1 in 3 weeks is kinda hard on the body. I started this blog on February 18th (first post HERE) to push myself a little harder.

Last Spring, I didn't know if I'd ever break 2:00 again but I did. 1:55:45 on May 4th. That made me dream bigger. So now I'm chasing Boston. Something I would never have even thought about at this time last year... and in the process, I ran a 1:53 half in September and had a sub-2:00 split during my marathon in November.

Spring Break 2014. 10 miles today. I've got 50 miles on the schedule this week. I'm planning to run my third 20-miler of the year at the end of the week. What a difference a year makes!