Accumulation

Everything seems to be piling up lately - work assignments, credit hours and miles, oh the miles. I tackled 19 yesterday and nearly fell off the hotel treadmill. I experienced my first mid-run cramp - well, late-run, cramp, at mile 17.5. I powered through, but had to walk a bit to get past it and get the full distance under my belt. This was my first really long run on a hotel treadmill and it was not entirely unpleasant. It was a bit distracting having other runners and bikers cycle in and out of the exercise room, but thankfully none of them tried to get the remote or even ask to change the channel. I am guessing the site of someone so geared up (knee band, compression tights, gps watch, gels, etc.) and profusely sweaty was enough to scare them into keeping quiet about keeping up with the Kardashians.

As to those other things accumulating - credit hours - as in just 2 Spring semester courses away from my dissertation. If I had a nickle for every time someone has likened grad school to a marathon, I'd be dead (yes, a Heathers reference). But cliches are cliches because they are usually true and it does indeed feel like I am getting close to that 22 mile run and tapering toward the main event. Ah, if only it went as quickly as actual marathon training.

So, I am now 5 weeks out from the City of Oaks 26.2, and only one more super long run (22 miles) before tapering is underway. And now that it's finally Fall, my shorter runs outdoors are getting a lot more enjoyable. I have even sprinkled several 5 and 10ks throughout the season to get back into racing mode. Which reminds me that I shocked the hell out of myself by PRing a 5K last weekend by a full 40 seconds! ...and it wasn't even all that flat! Much of the race was on the American Tobacco Trail, which I have been aware of for years, but had never actually traversed. The parts through Durham are paved and pretty serene, and starting at the Durham Bulls Athletic Park, seem like the perfect venue for a Saturday morning trot with my better half.

Hmmm, come to think of it, tomorrow is Saturday! ...and the forecast calls for a cool, crisp, Fall morning. :-)