August Rush

Ahh, August; A month of mixed emotions. This year, like most others for me the month has an aura of a rush....August Rush. I feel like I wait all summer for August - the meat of my summer, if you will - and then it's so packed full I feel rushed through so fast I hardly have time to breath and enjoy it. This year seems to be shaping up much of the same.

This first weekend of August was ushered in with the opposite of rush, however. It was an entire weekend of clouds and rain. Ok. I can take that actually. We're three months into this summer gig and who am I to say no to a mandatory slow down? After running my long run as part of training for the Virginia Beach Rock N  Roll Half Marathon (more on that later) - I did nothing. 11 long running miles then - nothing. Thanks for the change, August... I enjoyed a rare rush-less weekend. 

A change this August is that I am competing (participating?) in a my first triathlon. I've mentioned this before, I know... But now that I am in the month of my triventure... (uhm, no, I literally can't stop making making tri puns...I am as over writing them as you probably are to read them - but I can't stop won't stop even when I tri...See...Dammit.) Where was I? Oh yes, now that I am in the month of my triventure I am changing my tune. Up until now I have been very doubty and unsure. But now that it's almost here I am actually more confident, not less. So that's good. Am I trained like I wanted to be? No. But will I finish, smile, feel accomplished and have fun? Yes. 

Another August weekend will take us to Myrtle Beach for our annual traditional family vacation. Shopping, food, beach, food, running, food and shopping is how that week is spent. Perfect timing for me to relax and plump up before my final August adventure - the Rock N Roll Half Marathon.  

I've run the Virginia Beach Rock N Roll Half Marathon once before, in 2012. It was my second half marathon and I expected to run pretty decent. As I stood in the start coral on that last weekend in August I quickly realized this was not the race to "run pretty decent". This was a race to just get through. Depending on the weather - this race can be brutal. Virginia Beach is notorious for humidity and in 2012 it didn't disappoint. This year may be more of the same - but that's ok with me. I trained all summer and for me this race was always about the training - the run will be a 13.1 mile photo shoot as far as I'm concerned. 

I hope this year I can enjoy it all and not rush - as much. August is here and I'm excited for this month of a first, a family tradition and a repeat RnR race performance. I've made a list of goals - which I've actually never done before even privately let alone publicly - but here goes:

@runliferunlove