Insomniac's Review

It is 1:30am, a ludicrous hour for me to be up. I ran 72 miles last week, the 64 kilometres of the Stormy included.

This morning I got up at 6:30am, couldn't sleep, dogs needed to go out to pee. Cactus Jack is nine months, Panhandle Slim is three months and since my birthday on August 8th has now been here sharing our accomodations for more than a week. Cactus is not quite sure what to make of the new living arrangements. He looks at me like I am some kind of a wanton slut, trying to have my cake and eat it too as I bring my mistress home to live with my wife. Can a girlfriend be far behind?

After running for four hours, trying to slow the pace just a tad to aknowledge the heat of the day and the mileage of last week, I then proceeded to work until after midnight. Painting. I'm beat. The dogs got one brief run in the morning, another late at night. They are not talking to me. Sounds like most of my relationships with members of the opposite sex...

Weight is down to 184.5

I realize that the time to get down below 180 pounds is quickly running out. But the mileage for the next four weeks will be high. My concern is to keep my strength up and really monitor my tempo runs. I really want to run the Okanagan Marathon in Kelowna at 175-176 pounds. I think that gives me the greatest chance for success.

After much consultations, reading of tea leaves and perusing of goat entrails, I figure the key to hill training is to lengthen the hills to 400 metres. That should take care of getting the heart rate into the zone I think I'll be getting maximum benefits from. Can hardly wait to strat doing some interval work. Hopefully 800s on a track.

Had a great massage the other day, made a world of difference. Need to keep doing it. Also time to be thinking of breaking in some new runers for the marathon. Getting very nervous.

Trying to be positive, but thinking of the Las Vegas marathon in the first week of December as a possible contingency plan...