Trip to Tahoe

So... there's a Coast Guard station on Lake Tahoe.  Technically it's in Tahoe City, California.  It makes sense because it's a big lake and they are there for people in the water, boats that run out of gas and are stranded, etc.

What's cool is: they have 2 A-frame buildings that they rent out to active duty military for cheap.  Yeah, it's a cabin in the woods on the lake... so it's not a resort... but like I said, it's cheap.

We went there over Presidents day weekend with the Hoskins and while we were there, it was very fun.  That's all well and good right?  Not so fast... the transit there and back was THE most frustrating thing I've done in a LONG time.

I had chains for the car, but 30 was some of the fastest driving we did once we were in the mountains... ugh... if you've ever done that mountain drive, it's like 90 miles...

At first I thought... oh... 300 miles... that's an easy 4 or 5 hours.

Marine Corps Marathon (well... the half marathon anyway)

Matt and I signed up for the Marine Corps Historic Half today... it's going to be great.  It's May 17th.

I haven't been running long distances since December, but I'm going to start training after Presidents day weekend.  I think I can do a good 12 or 13 week program and still finish the race.  In fact, since I'm moving in the middle there... I may just train to finish anyway... at a minimum it should be better than the Silver Strand Half in November 2007.  That was the one I didn't train for.

TIP FOR BEGINNING RUNNERS: Don't skip the whole "training" part of the half-marathon.

Grrr....

Nope... turns out, I'm not really a bear but it's the same noise I make when frustrated.  There are a few things that January has taught me.

1. Moving sucks.

2. I have to have a goal.

The first is an obvious one.  I've blogged about this in the past, but I can't stress enough how much I hate it.  Abbey and I have our eyes on a few houses in Maryland and we've applied for military housing.  I can explain the benefits and drawbacks of each if anyone is actually interested.

We've decided we aren't ready to buy a house, although everyone is telling me, "... but it's the best time to buy in years!"  I know.  But we aren't ready to buy a house and be successful.  What happens when we have to move.  Those same people telling me to buy are stressed out about 4 times a year by being long distance landlords.  In short, we're renting.

Secondly, neither my training, nor school, nor debt reduction happens without a goal.  I ran two half marathons in late November and early December.  I ran well.  2:12 and 2:04 (second course was way flatter and w/o coastal wind).  I had a training schedule and had to plan my days and weeks out so EVERYTHING would get done.  I thought... "Boy... I wonder how much would get done if I didn't have to schedule 2 hours on Saturday for a long run!  I'll just run every day or every other day about 3-4 miles... then I'll run when the sun is up and then I'll have lots more time!"

The reality is... I don't.  I play more Xbox, I drink one more cup of coffee instead of water.  I don't blog, I check facebook two or three times a day, I don't do homework.  I just sit there and think about all the crap I have to do for school, for the move... Grrr!!!  (insert bear sound)  Do I really HAVE to have a goal?  Turns out the answer is yes.

So anyway, good luck to Sarah training for Boston (somehow she didn't have to qualify and is running for charity) and I am committing to this blog thing... I've had it for over a year now and I don't blog but maybe once a month.  Jeepers.

Oh yes... check out Marcy's blog.  Funny stuff on the "Engrish!"