My workouts continue to taper before the race.  I tried to push myself on Monday, but as always, the first mile is a warm up for my legs and they never seem to want to go all out in the beginning.  I picked up the pace at the end and finished with a sub-10 pace, which isn't terrible.  I'm aiming for a 10:00 pace for the first half...I know I can't keep that up for 26 miles.  I'm shooting for 11:00 pace for the whole thing.  We will see.

I continued my Tuesday ritual - gym circuit - and am happy with my results.  I'm doing more of every exercise in each 30 second bout than the previous week.  I'm up to 13 pushups in 30 seconds.  I had a tempo run on Wednesday on the treadmill.  I ran two 10 minute runs at 8 mph or 7:30 pace.  Lots of sweat, but definitely gives me some ideas for summer workouts.

I had to dive again this week, so I considered 3+ hours of cleaning windows and the bottom of the hippo pool as enough to cover the prescribed workout.  And to round out the week, a nice, relaxing 6 mile jaunt past a pond with a six(?) foot alligator in it.

I'm happy he didn't come out of the water...and amazed that I noticed him only on my second lap.  :)

I'm feeling excited and anxious for the race.  I've prepared well, but it's been a long 4+ months of training and a lot has happened in my life.  I can't wait for London!

I continued my training in the cold, wet North.  We had two days of 50 degree weather, so most of the snow melted and the roads were clear by the time the cold came back.  I moved some firewood into the cellar for my Dad for cross training on Tuesday.  I even ran on Christmas morning and the morning after (the day of my flight back to Florida).  I headed into work on Friday and it was my turn to clean the hippo pool - via SCUBA.  I am on the Dive Team at work and we help the Edge of Africa keepers clean the hippo pool.  Maneuvering in the water is definitely a workout.  Once out of the water and running the next day, the warmer weather was appreciated - I did not have to wear so much gear.

My parents and a cousin have been visiting this week.  I have been continuing to train, but have not been keeping up on my blogging.  Last Friday (7/19), I hashed again - this was a "live hare" one where the trail is laid 10 minutes before the group heads off to try to snare the hare.  It was pretty fun though I got lost for a small portion of the trail.  I am counting theme-parking (Busch Gardens) as my 30 minutes of cross training for the 20th.  And before we headed to Clearwater Beach on Sunday the 21st, I ran 4 miles - the there and back route.