Spring Racing Season is Here!

First things first:

• It's Spring Break around these parts, and I'm always jealous this time of year of those who get Spring Break off. Especially when it falls this week with both St. Patty's Day AND the beginning of March madness. I am in full belief that everyone, no matter age or where they work, should get a Spring Break [without having to take vacation days].
  
  
• I really wanted some breakfast tacos yesterday morning. Like, badly. And, then I really wanted to go get some frozen yogurt last night. But, I didn't. Instead I had egg beaters, instead of tacos, and kashi cereal instead of ice cream. Bleh.

This was my last weekend without a race for several weeks. Spring is in the air, and so are Spring races! This makes me excited. I've got an interesting mix of races coming up:

• Saturday, March 19: Bearathon Half-Marathon in Waco. I ran this race 2 years ago. It's a bitch. I equate it to the Decker Half-Marathon as far as course difficulty. It runs through Cameron Park in Waco which is full of steep rollers. I'm aiming for around a 1:32. I don't know how that will place me among women; this race offers a prize purse ($300, $200, $100 for 1st, 2nd, 3rd) so that means all of the super speedy people will probably come out. I'm hoping for top 5? Who knows.
  
  
• Sunday, March 27: Capitol 10K in Austin. This course is also challenging, although the bad hills all fall within the first three miles, which is better than the last three miles...I also always remember this race as being the first noticeably humid run of the year. Lots and lots and lots of people run this race. It gets very crowded; every year I say I'm not doing it again because of all the people, and every year I sign up. Guess I'm a sucker like that, but the money does go to a good cause. Originally, my goal was to run right at a 41:00; I don't think that is going to happen. I've been doing too much long/slow miles and not enough short/fast. I think I can break 42, it just remains to be seen by how much. I'm gunning for a 41:30-41:45. Also, I'm be racing and pacing off of a friend, which is what I did last year for this race, and that always helps a lot.
  
  
• Saturday, April 2: Hells Hills 25K Trail Run in Smithville. This will be my first trail "race." I use the term "race" loosely as I will not be racing it, only trying not to fall on my face or break a leg during this 15.5 mile jaunt. Had I used my brain, I would have done some research before signing up...only to read after wards that this course is extremely technical and hilly...hence the name, and hence my goal simply to survive and enjoy my first trail race.
  
  
• Saturday, April 9: Big D Marathon in Dallas. I am still on the fence whether or not I will be racing this or using it as a training run. But, if I'm honest with myself, I've never not raced a race, so I will probably give it all I've got. This is a fairly small marathon. I should be able to finish top-3 women without much of a problem. So, I will use that as a goal as opposed to a time goal. Scope out my competition when I get there and try to pace off them. {of course now that I say that all of the super fast people will show up}. Hopefully it will not a 110 degrees.
  
  
• Sunday, April 17: Red Poppy 5K in Georgetown. Small, local, city-sponsored race less than a mile from my house. In it to win it! (first female)

Send me some good vibes! :)