New buddy + back on the fence

I really did not feel like running tonight. It's rainy, windy, I was in a crappy mood, and I have shin splints from going for a walk last night. (Does that make any sense? I can run 22 miles and be fine. I walk four miles and I get shin splits. #$&%^#!!!!!)

However, I got home from work at a reasonable hour today (6:30) and didn't really know what to do with all the extra time so I decided a run was in order. After dragging myself out the door, I saw my neighbor, who I have met exactly twice, gearing up for a run of her own. Without thinking I yelled "Hey! Can I come with?" like a little kid. Ha ha. Luckily she was really nice and let me join her, even though I huffed and puffed all the way up Torrence. :-)

This is the same neighbor who is in the half marathon Running Spot group. I was looking for a short recovery run but she was hauling it. We ended up doing 5.5 miles at a sub 9 clip...not too bad for a recovery run! We were a little bummed because we were actually trying to catch the half marathon group, who had left from O'Bryonville, but couldn't find the 9 minute pace coach OR any of my old buddies. Boo.

I'm excited to find a new running buddy though, especially one who lives in my building. Plus, she's planning to do a Fall marathon, which means she'll be in the Summer training group. And this reminds me...I'm back on the fence about what I want to do next season. My dad and I are both doing SOMETHING in the Portland, ME Fall race...he's doing the full and I'm still thinking. We'll see how the Pig goes, but after the nice 22 miler last weekend, I'm rethinking taking time off because...

- I would really miss my training buddies (not a good enough reason though)
- I would also miss my marathon legs (yeah. I'm kind of vain. and this still isn't a good enough reason.)
- I might miss calling my grandmother on Saturday mornings and hearing her say "You ran 20 miles? That is ludicrous."
- I'm starting to like ice baths. Kidding.
- I'm 30, single, and my alternative at this point is to become a crazy-knitting-cat-lady-aunt. Except I'm allergic to cats.

In all seriousness, I feel like it's now or never. I look at the people in my training group who have kids, who are going home after 22 miles to sit through soccer games and other non-napping activities and I think, damn, I'm glad I all I have to do today is SLEEP. How do people with actual lives DO this?