c-c-c-c-cold

It's really cold here. Okay, not Antarctica cold or anything like that, but cold. Went for our 7-mile run on Saturday, which was okay, but turned back early on our planned 18-miler today when the wind and the cold conspired against us. So today was only about 9 miles. I'd rather short our run than get hypothermia any day.

One nice thing I noticed on these runs this weekend is how friendly the (few) other runners seem. Everyone smiles and waves. I mean, I never wave or smile at other runners. I'm too focused on just getting my miles in and not tripping on the broken sidewalks of Ballard. (ha!) But everyone is waving, saying hi, smiling... no, wait, maybe that's just the rictus of cold...

One less nice thing I noticed -- spending over an hour outside makes your face hurt. I have a windburn/chapped cheeks/whatever on my face. I'm sure there is something one can do to help soothe this? Let's just say I am going to look awesome for the next few days.

Finally, super big ups to my girlfriends Lindsay, Jen, Melinda, and Brenda, for running the Las Vegas Rock and Roll 1/2 Marathon this morning -- I have total race envy! Next year I have sworn to run in an Elvis outfit. Hold me to this. :)

So... not the greatest start to this month's running. I take some comfort in hearing from others in Goofy training that they're in training funks as well. I'm writing this down -- NEVER AGAIN. After January, no matter what happens, I will not do another Goofy's challenge in Florida. It's too far to go, it's the wrong time of year for us northern types, and the half+full back to back is, well, Goofy. I don't regret signing up for it, and it will be just absurd enough to do this crazy thing, but it's just not for me.

I'm not ruling out another marathon -- I would still love to run the NYC Marathon, maybe even the Chicago Marathon -- because I love the idea of a big-city, big-crowd race. (I would also love to run the London Marathon, but that's just not going to happen.) But I think that next year -- unless we get in to the NYC Marathon -- I'd like to focus on the half marathon. It's a very nice, very do-able distance. In the working list of events for post-Goofy 2010, I've plotted out 4 half marathons (Eugene, Seattle RnR, Disneyland, Vegas), a couple of big local runs, and maybe even a triathlon (we'll see). It just seems more... sensible...