Race Planning for 2013

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I don't think I've ever run a marathon where at the end of it I didn't declare, "That's it. I'm taking a break--no more marathons for me anytime soon!" Then I eat half a pizza, drink some (okay, a lot of) beer and am planning my next marathon before the sun sets. 

Things are looking different this year. Something in Richmond broke my spirit. I'm tired. I've been running two marathons a year for the past 5 years. I need a change.  

No marathons are one thing. No racing is something completely different. I need a goal. Without one, I won't run. Or won't run hard enough or long enough to keep my conditioning. I've worked hard to build speed and endurance and I'm not willing to let all that just go out the window. 

So I've spent the last couple of weeks stalking race web sites. Particularly a lot of ultra and trail race web sites. Here are a few I'm considering: 

The January races all appeal to me but there is the small problem of I haven't run over 10 miles in a long run since Richmond. I need to start getting in some 15 and 20 mile runs in the next few weeks and I'm not sure I'm ready for them.

I've got a couple of shorter distance races coming up--Run at the Rock this weekend with my friend Christie and a holiday 5K. I may end up skipping the longer January races and maybe do some serious training for the NC half. Or I may just wing it and show up at the start line for everything and see what happens.

Or I may just drink some beer and see how it goes.

Cheers,

Dena 

National Novel Writing Month Wraps Up

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Remember how freaked out I was about attempting NANOWRIMO, the challenge that asks you to complete a 50,000 word novel during the month of November? 

As of this morning, I have just under 600 words left to meet my 50,000-word goal. Tomorrow morning I plan on completing the challenge and wrapping up a month of "Oh-my-God-this-is-great-why-didn't-I-do-this-before-no-wait-this-sucks-I-suck-my-writing-sucks-this-is-hard-I-want-to-quit-wow-I-had-a-great-writing-session-I'll-never-stop-doing-this-no-wait-I'm-sick-of-this" roller coaster writing drama. 

Here are a few things I learned during my month of NANO'ing: 

  • I do my best writing early in the morning, fresh out of bed. Stumble to my office, no e-mail, no Internet, no anything. Sit. Think. Write. 
  • That being said, I can write anywhere, anytime. To get my NANO words in this month I wrote at the gym, in my car, at the doctor's office, in a hotel room the morning before I ran a marathon, at coffee-houses and occasionally at home at night.
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Unexpected Gifts

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My favorite gifts are the unexpected ones. A friend going to an Elie Wiesel book signing in Boston and sending me his memoir with a signed dedication to me. Another friend stitching the name of my next cat book onto a running visor. Blair sneaking Krispy Kreme pumpkin spice doughnuts into the house and surprising me with one for breakfast. And a friend gifting me the most awesome workout tank ever.

Here's how that last one came about. Last Saturday I headed up to Virginia to the 24-hour Crooked Road Run to help pace a few friends through some miles.

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Vegetarian Cookbooks From Ten Speed Press

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Oh my God. Totally unexpected benefit of being an author published with Ten Speed Press/Random House? When I mentioned in an e-mail to my editor last month that I was going to Ashville to take a vegan soup making class, she offered to send me a couple of Ten Speed's newest cookbooks. A few days later I got a package in the mail with the two books you see below.

SO HAPPY. Blair calls it my cookbook porn. I loooove flipping through cookbooks, picturing all the meals I'll make. I've got about 20 recipies marked in each book to try. Kale Salad with Toasted Coconut & Sesame Oil and Panzanella (grilled tofu, sunflower sprouts, peanut butter, oven-roasted tomatoes) from Super Natural Every Day and Saffron Ravioli with Wild Mushrooms and Cashew Cheese from Candle 79. 

Ready for Thanksgiving to end--Blair won't let me fool around with the traditional dishes--so I can start cooking!