Nope. Just you.

...

Just kidding! There are some hills near my house. When I first started training, back

in January of this year, there is this one big hill I couldn't get up

without walking. 6 months later, when I ran that same hill, I didn't

even notice it. On my third triathlon this year, I came out of the water almost 4 minutes faster than I expected, with energy to spare. The hard training had finally paid off.

I certainly felt a bit superhuman, at least until I completed the bike and got halfway thru the run. THEN I think someone spiked my gatorade with kryptonite. Since then, I've been building up immunity, and will soon be strong enough to save the world!

I know if I am not careful after a good run, with the endorphines kicking, I may turn into the HULK if somebody makes me angry.

When I run run I kind of think of myself as a bad ass, not that I really am but as the average person can't run down the street, I can and the next street and the next street and the next street................................................................Joel

I guess in a way I do, but instead of seeing myself as a fictional charecter I go back in time a little bit and picture myself back in Marine Corps boot camp and I gradually assume that mentality.  I was able to find and download some cadences off of YouTube to load on my mp3 player and I listen to those sometimes when I run because the cadence helps with my stride count and I still find them motivational.  When I first start a run I'm pretty much a tourist as I doop-dee-doo along and enjoy taking in the sites but towards the end of a long run or when facing a nasty hill or so I turn it into a full-blown, head-on confrontation between myself and the last few miles or that hill.  I think, "I may be slow, but by god, I'm gonna kick your a**.  You're not going to win.  Not today, not ever, so you best be ready because I'm coming for you".  Then in my mind I'm surrounded by others and we're all running together.  I know they hurt just as much as I do but I can't quit on them because I know they won't quit on me, and I KNOW I can do it because I've done it before.  I know it's a little strange but it gets me through times when I see no reason to continue and at the end I feel good because I achieved my goal.  It does sort of make me feel like a superhero for the rest of the day. 

I feel like that too because I mostly run through old decommissioned military bases here in San Francisco (The Presidio) and the Marin Headlands (where I'm doing the Norh Face Endurance Challenge). 

But since all of the fortifications were built up for WWII, I feel like I'm a throwback, a soldier training and staying fit for the oncoming Axis assault on California.  Which reminds me, I should probably work on my hand to hand combat skills.  

LMAO Carole,

Too funny as always....how's the training going?  I beat my 30 minutes!!!  New goal 28:30 and/or HM 

Teri

OUTSTANDING, Can't Breathe Girl!!!!!  I guess in that case my alter ego would be, "What-The-F*#%-Am-I-Doing-This-For-Again?" Boy, or "It-Looks-So-Much-Easier-On-TV" Man.  :^{0 :}0