So not ready for Salt Fork... but haven't I said that before?

10 mile trail race, what on earth was I thinking! The Salt Fork run is next Saturday. 

Then again, I made this post about a week before the Nu Race Trail Run, and this post shortly before the Indian Run. 

Before the Nu Race run, I simply wrote: "Yalp"

Before the Indian run I wrote: "I think I'm in over my head."

After the Nu Race run I wrote: "My first 1st place finish!"

After the Indian Run I wrote: "I can't believe I did it in under an hour"

And believe me, I was saying similar stuff before my first 5k. So yea, I'll be fine! 

I'm having some psychological issues with my long runs lately. It's funny, part of the reason running works for me is because I like being alone. It serves as some much needed me time in between work and home. But having company on my long runs helps tremendously to get my mind off the distance. I think my legs just quit when they realize how much they have left. I did the first four with Brandie today, no problem, but when she left all of a sudden my cold came back and my knee was throbbing. 

I'm going to try 8 tomorrow, and apart from the Salt Fork run that will be my last long run before MIT. Problem solved. 

This week was icky in general. I had a nasty cold that came and went and came and went. Did only 15 miles total and I was hoping for 30. Haven't done a hill workout in two weeks. I found my old swimsuit and I think I'm going to try swimming at the Y tomorrow. 

After Salt Fork I'm going to take a couple weeks off, apart from the Holiday Run at Sharon Woods the following Saturday. 

A few other random musings.

I'm trying some new strength training stuff at the Y three days a week. I do best when I have something to follow. I got the programs off Sparkpeople.com, a pretty slick site I've been getting more and more into, this one for the upper body, this one for abs and this one for legs. The abs one targets balance which I badly need. I realized that when I tried yoga for the first time Monday and was falling all over the place. 

I have this long post I want to do about losing 50 pounds. Some of the stuff I have some real trepidation about posting so it's undergoing a lot of revisions, but I'm almost there. 

The Garmin 405 just went down to about $200 bucks on Amazon, which means I'll probably get one soon! But I need to find a new winter coat first, I've had the same one since I moved to Maine in 2006. Trying to decide between two at L.L. Bean, this one and this one. I have a gift card to use. Maybe they'll go on sale after Christmas. 

So many cool toys, so little cash!