South by West - Part Three WARNING, ACTUAL RUNNING CONTENT

The Seattle Marathon is Sunday, November 30th.

I haven't even tried to run once in the last month.

Rumor has it one should train before running a 26.2 mile race.

Since you have to start somewhere, I started at the front door of our vacation condo in Sedona, Arizona.

Some variables for you:

1. I haven't run a single step in a month.
2. Sedona is roughly 4,600 feet above sea level.
3. I live more or less at sea level.
4. Today's high temperature in Sedona was 99 degrees.

The sum of variables 1-4 is a really shitty first run of the training season. 4 miles with a lot of hills and some seriously nice slickrock trails.

The conclusion of this research is that I have a LONG way to go before I'm close to ready for the Seattle 26.2. And if I am seriously going to try for my Boston Qualifier in May at Vancouver, I need to put some miles together and get things in shape again.

Since today didn't kill me I'll try again tomorrow and add a couple of miles. With luck I'll get out before the temperature hits 100.

At the end of the week we'll be in Pasadena, where I'll try to get in a couple of long-ish days, so that by the time we get home from this trip I'll be back in the swing of things. In theory.

Other things I learned today:
•4 bedrooms with a view in Sedona will run you $1,000,000. Now, I don't know about you, but $1,000,000 seems excessive for an adobe in a forest fire zone. Without a pool. Why doesn't anyone around here have pools?
•Sometimes other people's kids are a serious pain in the ass. I'd say 90% of the time.
•I'm a fan of a full night's sleep.