Me + fall = true love

It's back. That time of the training cycle when I reek like IcyHot, am constantly covered in frozen vegetables, and absentmindedly massage my joints in polite company. I had done well, nary indulging in even the BioFreeze, until the combo of hill repeats and speed work and 18 and 20 mileage conspired to make all sorts of things hurt in a worrying way. But it's also that time in the training when I start to feel sad, ("We're already 2/5 of the way through our longest runs?!"). But this time I think I can handle the post-marathon life, running with friends or the club and maintaining a half marathon level throughout the winter without having a breakdown or existential crisis.

It is also the time of year when Husband returns to a rehearsal schedule, and is no longer around evenings. (Soon to be followed by his production schedule, where he is no longer around on the weekends). Like all things there are the parts I don't like (cooking dinner for myself every night) and the parts that I like (getting lots of house projects done, seeing friends more).

The first cool winds of fall are also in the air, and I couldn't be more excited. I feel like I spent the whole summer in sweaty run clothes (pre, during, or post-run) and eating cereal for dinner because it's too hot to cook and there's no time anyway. I envision fall being a time of cool, invigorating runs, lots of laborious cooking and baking, and time to relax and get together with friends. Bring it on, fall.