Back in CA

We returned from Boston Wednesday evening after relaxing for a couple of days after the marathon and doing some sight seeing. There is so much cool old stuff in Boston - it's amazing to stand in the exact place where something historic happened and picture the people and sights around at that time. I find it fascinating that I could have leaned against a wall where someone else leaned while listening to the Declaration of Independence being read for the first time. Whenever we are at historic sites I try to imagine what it would be like for someone from that time to see the world as it is now; could they even have imagined the things we see around us every day?

I only managed to get one run in during our trip, 6mi along the river. The first mile was in Boston, the next two in Cambridge, and the last three back on the Boston side of the river - here are a couple of pictures from the first bridge I crossed:




After the run I met up with Jen's friend Deana and we headed down to the finish area to watch the finishers come in. We wandered around for a bit then posted up in a good spot to watch the race and look for Jen. After cheering for a couple of hours we saw Jen in the crowd of runners looking great and smiling from ear to ear.

I'm always so amazed after Jen finishes a marathon - every time I have run a HM I can't imagine having to turn around and run back to the starting line. I guess I just like to get my suffering over as quickly as possible, that's probably why I choose to run HM or less and for tri I'll go with Oly or less (although I still have yet to do an Oly, but it doesn't seem far off). I'll choose OMG I'm going to throw up over OMG my legs feel like they are going to fall off any day of the week.

Last night I rode 17 miles on the Iron Horse Trail by our apartment and this morning I was up at the gym for a swim. I was feeling so sluggish in the water and just wasn't in the swimming mood so I did 750m (13:42). When I finished the lady I had been sharing a lane with was up in the shower and she said "you're a pretty fast swimmer". I looked around to be sure she was talking to me and sure enough she was. It made my day after feeling like crap in the water. Sometimes swimming is so freaking boring - I am really looking forward to joining the masters group.

On the book front I just finished All the Pretty Horses and The Crossing, both by Cormac McCarthy. He is one of my favorite authors and so far I have not been disappointed by any book of his that I have read.