Week 18 - California Dreamin'

When I got married, I won the in-law lottery.  My husband's parents and sister's family live in the Napa Valley.  What a great place to have to visit twice a year.  Lucky turtle!

So I just had two runs to complete in cold NYC and then off to wine country for Christmas!  On Monday, I didn't even attempt to be outside.  I had earned a nice treadmill run at the gym, for sure.  My legs didn't feel like I'd done 22 miles two days before, so I even worked in some speed intervals.  Later in the day, my legs started feeling it.

On Wednesday, I met Mike in Central Park at 8:30 AM.  It was 20 degrees!  The roads were clear, but the bridle path was a sheet of ice, so we had to stop and walk that when we crossed West to East.  The run was great, though.  The park was beautiful, covered in a sheet of snow. 

I was kind of sentimental -  thinking the next time I'd run Central Park, I'd be a marathoner. 

But Napa was waiting!  We'd spend the next two weeks there, and I couldn't wait for the change of scenery and the warmer temps! 

The day I got there, a package arrived...my custom marathon shirt!!!  A shout-out to #1 designer/super friend James-Allen for designing me a custom Pink Turtle "Sarathon 2010" logo & race shirt!!! You gotta look the part, right? 

On Saturday (the day after Christmas), Jim and I got to hit the streets of Yountville, CA for a 10-miler.  It was a little hilly, but the scenery couldn't be beat. My pace was a steady 12:40, and the weather a pleasant 50 degrees. Like a good little marathoner, I wore my complete outfit that I plan to wear in the race. Besides my fancy new custom tech shirt and pink visor, this includes a black Adidas running skirt and long, black running arm-warmers. James-Allen called this my "costume" when I tried it on for him in NY - pointing out that the skirt plus arm warmer combo makes me look like the Eliza Doolittle of running.  I like it!

I had a little Christmas food/Napa wine sluggish-thing going on, but all-in-all it was a good taper run.

I write that as if I know what a taper run should be, and in reality- I have no idea. I read that tapering means run less, eat & rest more. 

In that case, I highly recommend tapering in the Napa Valley.

Sarathon or bust!