Forsythia, for Crying Out Loud

Forsythia, the front porch, Blue Bell Hill.

Sunday's run, a fun six miles through the hills of Manayunk in my huaraches. Spring has definitely settled in. The first blooms of the season -- forsythia, daffodils, celandine -- all painted the same exuberant shade of yellow. I wonder why.

The Broad Street Run is less than four weeks away. I'm ready in the sense that I will be able to finish. I'm not ready in the sense that I am not in shape enough to turn in a decent time. Oh well.

As I've already reported here, I have not been training enough -- blame it on the weather, blame it on my health. Blame it most of all on laziness and lack of preparation. What I have learned over the years, and still forget from time to time, is that I work best with a pre-determined program. More on that in a later post.

It's all good. I'll get through the Broad Street Run. I've got time to really work on my performance for the Double Creek.  And I have decided to follow this "programme" from the Dublin Marathon website (PDF file) to get me ready for the big event.

It's hard to be anything less than hopeful this time of year.

A Personal Update

Hello.

Today's run, five miles in the rain.

Here it is, nearly the middle of March, and I haven't updated this blog for over two months. What gives?

I could say that it has been a terrible winter for running here in Philly, with snow and ice covering the ground through most of February. I could also tell you about a bad bout of sinusitis which waylaid me for four weeks. But this sounds like nothing but excuses.

Excuses, excuses, excuses...

Where to go from here?

Spring has arrived. The snow is gone. On Sunday we'll turn the clocks forward, providing an extra hour of light at the end of the day, perfect for after work runs. And my sinuses, like the ice clogged streets, have begun to clear. 

I'm still determined to run the Dublin Marathon in October -- paid the registration fee, booked the lodging. I've also registered for two other events, Philadelphia's Broad Street Run on May 1, and the Double Creek Half Marathon in York County in mid June.

The Broad Street Run is in seven weeks, and I am woefully out of shape. But I work well against a deadline.

So no more excuses.

And I promise to update my blog more often.