Coming and Going....

That has been my life. Out of town, in town, out of town. Race, train, race, train. Sick, healthy, sick, healthy.....six continuous weeks. No complaints about traveling and working out...love that stuff. But the third has really but a burden on everyday FUN lifestyle.

Last weekend was the RNR Vegas half marathon. Lots of fun. You start heading "away" (don't ask me North, East, South or West) from the strip and then turn around at less than a mile when you hit the "Welcome to fabulous Las Vegas" sign.

Then you turn around and see the show of fireworks in the sky to the right and the other 25,000 people that have yet to to start the race. It is a straight out and back for the half marathoners, flat, fast and VERY entertaining as nearly half the crowd are those still out from the previous night, or at least acting that way :)

A few of us met up in the lobby of Mandalay pre-fight, I mean, pre-race. We scurried to the start line stopping for water, bathrooms, clothing check, herds of people, wondering how the heck to get to the start line. 25,000 people is not the easiest way to get anywhere in a hurry. We had 6 minutes to start time and still not even near the flood gates, we jumped fences, peed behind trees that were not quite big enough to cover my bum (good thing an unknown spectator was willing to hold up her jacket for our personal coverage), and with 1 minute to go we were in coral 1. I was a little disturbed that three volunteers (while in coral 1) asked to see my bib to confirm I was in the right place.....what'choo saying????? Ha, they were just doing their job I know :)

I knew my legs were tired from the Seattle half and too, I had been battling a cough and the cough was winning, but with over 15 friends participating in the event I couldn't say "no" to this weekend away. Also somewhere, when I thought this was a good idea, I believed that Vegas was always 70+ degrees, nope, 31 fun degrees for the race. I figured such a flat course would be GREAT for me since that is where I flourish, notice I said I flourish, not FAST, just faster for me. I started out right on pace, 7:10 ish, I just had to hold that (since my best time ever in a half is 7:15's), then progressively just got a little slower, and a little slower and a little slower, by mile 10 my legs screamed ouch and I fade to 7:20's, oops, just like the ironman I re-evaluted and figured I could settle for my second best time. Yep, that's what it was just a minute short of a PR. What followed after crossing the finish line was the hacking of myself and all the other participants from the super dry air, and the feeling of a bloody nose. This was not due to my sickies, but the air. I waiting just a few moments for a couple of my friends and we made our way over the, um, fancy-dressed Vegas girls....show girls...flamingo girls....what do you call them? We then scurried back to our rooms to unthaw our toes, nose, and hands, well, our body for that matter.

Note to self: Vegas gets cold...REAL cold and the air is D.R.Y. , oh and the race starts at 6:15 am.....woha!

The sickness has put me out now for 6 weeks, and personally, I am tired of hearing myself talk about it....all 2010 training is on hold. For some reason you need a healthy body to tackle the training.....hopefully soon. Real soon!