Tomorrow is the IBM 10k. I just decided to run today. I couldn't decide whether to do my long run Saturday or race. The problem is that NY is now 5 weeks away and I don't really have the mileage base. On the other hand, I don't have my race legs either. So, I figure I'll race, take 20 minutes to recover and then run back. That way, I'll get in 18 and close to 50 for the week. It's supposed to be warm, maybe 70, so I need to take it easy. But not too easy. I feel like I need to get under 38 so that I can gain some confidence. I just haven't been running well lately, so I'm expecting to get hammered. My training week wasn't too bad. Tuesday was 1600's (solo) 5:47, 5:43, 5:41, 2:48. On Friday, I did some easy 400's - 76, 77, 78, 76, 76, 76. Weds and Thurs, mostly junk miles. Lance Armstrong was on the cover of Runner's World. Experts are guessing he does a 2:55. I can do that.

Long day at work. I didn't finish up until quarter 'til 7. Thought about going home to eat - hungry. Instead ran the 7 mile loop. 81 cool degrees. Still having trouble finding my stride so it took about 49 minutes.

I didn't run Saturday or Sunday. Out of town. On Friday, I ran 20 in and around the neighborhood before work. Very tough. Not fun. But I'd promised myself 20 and NY is coming too fast.

I've virtually stopped stretching and taking fish oil. Also haven't riden the bike in weeks. Not sure what shape I'm in. Undecided about the IBM 10k on Sunday. I need to get some major miles in and can't affort the race break. On the other hand, I haven't raced any distance over 5 miles in ages. On the third hand, I crashed badly in last year's IBM race. And fourthly, I'm afraid that I'll run even worse than last year.

I took Monday off. That wasn't my intent, I just ran out of time. Thank God ACL is over! I parked (without problems) Tues morning at Barton and ran over to AHS for some 1600's. Ended up doing 800's as well - 5:43, 5:41, 2:47, 2:46, 2:41, 2:43. Fifty-odd Rogues were on the track - lots of shadows shouting encouragement. Thanks Rogues. Felt smooth but still heavy. I've got to stop the late night snacking.

It'll be really tough to get in miles this week. I'm planning on doing another set of intervals Wednesday (maybe 800's and 400's) and do the Point Run on Thursday before a long run on Friday (20???) We'll see. I don't expect to run on Saturday and probably won't be able to run Sunday either. Paladino's going away party is Sunday night. I'll miss that guy.

Started my long run at 6:15. Barton Springs was closed for the ACL music fest. 81 degrees and humid is a bad recipe for 20 miles with no cold spring water to look forward to. Met up with Mike McNeil, Greg Thomas and Roger Isern. We were quickly passed by Woo, Watson and Rausch. I felt bad from the start. No Gu. No energy. Up late picking Amanda up from the HS football game. Lake Travis lost, but the band didn't seem to care.

I managed 18.6 miles which was 1/10th of a mile longer than last week. So far for the week, I've got 50 miles under my belt. Did 55 last week. Looks like I'll hit 250 for the month, which would be a record. Hope I don't break. I'm sore. Wondering if I need to take a few days off, but I've gotten into this whole ramp-up thing and it's motivating me to get up and run.

I've had some really good interval sessions in recent weeks - shooting for three per week with any race counting as one. Last weekend, I ran the 5k Arts run. Floyd Watson won in 17:41. I snuck under 18:00 to take third. Like the Fila relays, I never really found a smooth pace. We both won 2 pairs of tickets to 4 Paramount shows. If anyone knew how good the prizes would be, I'd have no chance. Ann Richards died. We'll miss her.

Where did the last 10 weeks go? Fortunately, I’ve been running and not writing instead of the other way around. After Seattle, I’ve found some dedication and logged respectable summer miles – 200 avg. for July and Aug, a huge jump from 67(?), 130 and 135 the three months prior. It’s helped that Amanda wants to be taken home really early on weekday mornings. I’ve been dropping her off at 5:30 which means I’m already awake and can drive to Barton Springs, get a run in and still make it to work by 7:30. She also has band practice now on Thursday nights (she’s playing the cow bell), which opens up an opportunity to squeeze another run in if my legs aren’t dead.

I haven’t been running with the Gazelles much. Not sure why I always come up with an excuse but I do – don’t like circuits, Meridan’s too dark, etc. I like Wilke and anything involving straight intervals on the track. Mostly I show up at AHS solo. Time’s are good. 8x800 in 2:45 avg. 1200’s in 4:10. The weather’s been draining me. I feel sleepy all the time. Amanda’s been moody and quiet. Hopefully, it’s just her age. I’m trying not to take it personally. Work’s been crazy busy. I came in on Saturday and wrote an investment policy for Waco. Still behind. Unmotivated.

Friday night was the Fila Relays. Our team consisted of my weekend long-run buds David Weaver and John Paladino along with Floyd Watson. Last year, we came within 30 seconds of winning Masters. This year, it was predictably hot. Also predictable was me accidentally stepping on the timing mat which turned Floyd’s leg off and mine on 30 to 40 seconds before Floyd finished. Another unfortunately turn of events was me dropping the baton. After a brief scramble, I dashed off without it to try and catch Peter Rausch. A couple of years ago, my mind would have already caught him. Friday night, I conceded the race after 200 yards. I ran a 13:52 which isn’t too bad. The timing mat incident added 34 seconds to my time and subtracted the same from Floyd’s. We lost Masters by 30 to a pretty good bunch – Weekend run bud Bryan Atkinson filled in incredibly well for an injured Mendez, running sub-13:20 while Fletch, Rudy and Peter all ran great. With luck, I’ll get fired up since I was the slowest of the eight.

Where from here? Lose some weight - At 5’7, 156, I’m too big. My goal is to get down to 149 by the end of September. Keep running with the Monday morning group. Double up on Wednesday with some light intervals early and add the “7 at 7” recovery run. If I can get motivated enough to add a Thursday afternoon run every other week, I should start to ramp miles up to 60+. New York is in two months. My time goal is 2:50:00. Other goal is to beat Lance. I’m shooting for 240 miles in September. That’ll be a record high for me. Good start w/ 34 miles through the 4th.