Hello? Is It Me Your Looking For?

I have been gone for a VERY long time!  For shame!
After my 50K, a couple of things have happened.

1st - Burn out set in.  The big crash after the big race.  With a marathon still on tap for 2011 in November, I kinda wish this didn't happen, but I tell ya...motivation to run anything more than an easy 3 miles is becoming harder and harder to find!  Add to that the chill in the air at either 8pm or 5:30 am, and that sucks for motivation too.

2nd - I have been juggling two pretty senior level positions at work since June while they look for a replacement for one.  The search has been slow and no good candidates are in the hopper right now.  While I was handling it ok for th elast few months, fall and winter are when alot of projects go live, and things get really busy.  I am barely keeping my head above water at work, and I thank God everyday for the awesome people that work for me.  They have all stepped up big time and this ship would have sunk by now without them.

3rd - We are also moving Pauly's office.  We are no longer going to keep his office in the city.  He is going to  become more selective about the type of clients and type of work he takes, and this will allow him to work out of our home.  This change will also allow Paul to concentrate on training for a few key races this year with very specific goals, and will let him pursue a new passion...coaching high school kids.  This season he has been assistant coach for an all girls, Catholic High School Cross Country team.  He LOVED it.  The girls have all run their fastest times this season, and Pauly really loves the feeling of helping these girls reach their running goals.  Over the winter, Pauly will stay with the same school, and many of the same girls as head coach for indoor track.  This new direction in Paul's work and passion is very exciting.  Logistically it has taken a lot of work, planning and time.  ONce he is officially moved the first week in November, that should settle down a bit.

I have taken up attempting to run in the morning instead of the evenings.  I am just too damn tired at night, and I feel like I never get anything done because I have to leave time to run, then its time to go to bed.  It hasn't been as hard as I thought it would be to get up that early and I LOVE LOVE LOVE the feeling of it being DONE all day.  I am getting a TON done at night now too.

I am SO screwed for the Philly Marathon in November.  The longest run I have done in over a month is 6 miles.  NOT GOOD!  Next weekend I have to get out and do at least a 16-18 mile run.  It will be painful, but this marathon in November is going to be a bloodbath!  I want the accomlishment, but I also want it done.  I trained hard this summer, and I'm just plain tired.  I'm ready to have 2 or so months over the winter of maintenance running and just not getting fat.

I hope I don't collapse and die at mile 20...but I'm not holding my breath!!!  If you see me out there - please drag my sorry a** across the finish line!  Hey, a finisher is a finisher.  Doesn't matter if my lifeless body was dragged for part of the 26.2 or not.

WTF

Where have I been?
So really quick, (I swear I will post real posts and pics soon) 2 weekends ago Paul ran a 40 mile trail Ultra and came in 2nd overall...kick a**.  The next day I ran a trail half marathon and ran a very sh*tty time.  Oh well.

This past weekend, Paul ran a trail 50K and Hsin and I volunteered on what was the coldest day this year :-)  It was really fun though.

Again...details soon I swear!

My professional life is completely overwhelming right now.  I have been asked to go back to my old business unit to help with their global expansion plan and acquisition strategy...however...my new job which is soon to be my old job is FAR from being backfilled.  So I am currently doing both.  And both are BIG jobs, so I am a little overworked and a little stressed.

Personally our family is discussing some changes in direction we are planning to take.  Good ones...just ones that require a lot of thought and planning.  That has us a little overworked and a little stressed.

I ran 2 days last week, and so far this week a big fat ZERO!!!  I hate it!  I feel more stressed when I don't run, and I feel lousy all around.  I feel better about myself and my sanity lives in a MUCH better space when I consistenly run.  Time just hasn't allowed it and other things...BIG life things have taken priority.

So there you have it...that is why I have been a lousy blogger.
I have awesome pictures from all the races (well except the one I ran) so I will post updates soon.

OH...and big news too.  I am not running the Steamtown Marathon.  They have a VERY strict 6 hour cut off and quite frankly it was stressing me the hell out.  I ran 20 miles in a training run in a little over 5 hours.  6 hours MIGHT be doable, but it is very likely it isn't.  I don't want a huge accomplishment like my first official marathon to end with me crossing the finish line alone to the cleaning guys sweeping up banana peels and space blankets.  That would royally suck.

SO...I upgraded my half marathon registration for the Philly Marathon in November to the full.  It is a mostly flat course and has a 7 hour cut off which I KNOW I can make.   I feel SO much better about it.  Now I just need to get my a** outside and start running!

See you soon.