Racing schedule set through April

ORN: Today, I ran 2.0 miles along the river in 20'29". The weather was sunny, 67°, and clear. I felt good, sometimes even wanting to pick up the pace. But I held back. I've been so inconsistent lately that I don't want to be stupid now that I am running again. I need to ease back into it and not start doing 12x400 intervals, hill repeats, and 10 mile long runs all at once. Still, it's encouraging to feel good running again. I forget when I have been sidelined by laziness, as I have for the last couple months.

My racing schedule, which you can see in a widget on my main page, is set for the next several months.

• Up next is the Summit 5K, which supports the Girl Scouts of Kentuckiana. [Little One is a Daisy Scout.] I've never run it, so I don't know much about it. All I know is that part of town is kinda flat.
• In November, there is the Cave Hill 5K, running through the Veterans' section of Cave Hill cemetery. It's on Veterans' Day, so I'll be running with my dog tags from my Navy days.
• December begins the season of the good ol' Polar Bear Grand Prix, three races starting with the Reindeer Romp 4K. This race largely follows the scenic loop in Cherokee Park. The big factor in this race, and the next two, is the weather.
• January's Snowman Shuffle Four Miler has been brutal the last couple times I've done it. Snow, ice, and freezing temperatures are par for the course. It, too, wends through the hills of Cherokee Park.
• I'll begin my Valentine's Day festivities with a run through Cherokee Park yet again for the Frostbite 5K.
• March is usually the month of the Triple Crown, but I might not run it this year. Last year, I ran the Papa John's 10 Miler on Little One's birthday, and that led to domestic issues. For now, no race scheduled yet for March.
• April is the month for the Derby Festival (Mini and Full) Marathon. That's the big daddy in my schedule. I start training for that next month.
  

The bottom line is that when I have races to look forward to, I run more consistently. Having these milestones keeps me on the road and focused. Without a clear running goal, my attention drifts toward watching Office reruns, sleeping late, and getting fat. I hope this schedule will fix that.