Running in Texas

After my article in the paper last week my celebrity status became too stressful to deal with so I spent the rest of the week in the Texas Hill Country visiting my brother and doing some traveling with good friends.

I floated down the Frio River with hot sun and cold beer (and a little rain too).  I ate good food, swam with a water moccasin, flipped from a rope swing, danced, sang, ate some more good food, and laughed so much my stomach still hurts.  And each morning before breakfast I tightened my laces and headed for the hills.  (Sadie didn't get to go with me to Texas, but she did get some running in with a friend who watched her.)

Texas Hill Country running

Up the hills, down the hills

I'm back in Washington now and am getting in gear for a Boston Marathon qualifying attempt.  Yep, I'm going to give it a shot.  I have the Coeur d'Alene Marathon at the end of the month.  It's a relatively flat course and should be a good place for me to see how close I am to the 3:10:59 I need to qualify.  I ran a 3:34 last month on a whim, wearing a lei (but no watch), on a very hilly course, taking lots of photos - so I think I have a reasonable chance for a sub-3:20 at Coeur d'Alene.

I also signed up for a flat and fast race near Portland on July 4th: the Foot Traffic Flat.  I anticipate this to be my first "official" attempt at qualifying.  If I don't make it then (but am close enough to not shatter my hopes) then there are a few races in the fall that I'll look into - the Portland Marathon, with it's fast course and 3:10 pace group, being the most likely option.

Until then, it's "keep running!"

-Scott