Stretching the season

It is October, and concerns about cold weather, Holiday breaks and 2009 racing calendar are up. Fall Marathon season is on for the runners at heart. Of course we all will try to squeeze as much as possible from 2008, before cooling down.

After my running lesson at Long Beach, all my focus is on New York City Marathon (http://www.ingnycmarathon.org/home/index.ph). As a tune-up race, for the second time I will participate in the 10K LA Cancer Challenge Run this next Sunday.(http://www.kintera.org/faf/home/default.asp?ievent=264394). It is a very well-organized event raising funds for pancreatic cancer research, with a beautiful crowd, nice course and delicious pumpkin pancakes as post-race meal.

This is going to be my third consecutive NYC Marathon, thanks to guaranteed entry obtained while I was living in NY. After this, I will have to be lucky enough to qualify or win a place in the lottery. In 2006 it was my second marathon ever, and I finished in 4:28:13; in 2007 I hit the wall hard and finished in 4:36:44. The main challenge is survive the hours in the cold weather waiting for the start. Luckily, it did not rain or snow on both years. And that way I hope I can at least finish better than 2007.

It will be nice to see NYC once again, and feel the crowd and the cold. This is going to be a moment of real contemplation and inspiration about the blessing of living in California, with all the space, warmth and mountains at sight.

As usual, I am already looking for the next marathon, and it seems it will come sooner than expected: the first ever Pasadena Marathon, near home, in two weeks. The appeal of taking part of the first event, two weeks after NYC, is irresistible. It will really depend on finishing NYC in a non-humiliating time and without injuries.

It is also time to plan for 2009, and I am checking the Ironman website on a daily basis to decide what is the most realistic schedule.

It is really a matter of stretching as much as I can: the muscles and tendons, to ensure proper recovery and prevent injuries; the calendar, to avoid boredom; and the challenges, to guarantee my smiles and well-being.

I need to finish 2008 well in order to start a good 2009.

Next races: LA Cancer Challenge (10/26/08), ING New York Marathon (11/02/08).

Hero of the week: Dean Karnazes, the Ultramarathon Man, who is running the in Sahara Desert this weekend, following his schedule of running four deserts in 2008 (Atacama, Gobi, Sahara and Antarctica), besides Badwater.

Quote of the week: "If you can't run, then walk. And if you can't walk, then crawl. Do what you have to do. Just keep moving forward and never, ever give up." Dean Karnazes.