Cruising....

So I'm going on a cruise......right in the middle of training for Boston, I'm going to take myself off the road and plunk myself down in the middle of the Caribbean.  According to my training schedule, I'm to run 17 tomorrow (not happening.....half the day on a plane down to Florida, then boarding the ship), followed by 18 next Saturday (again, with the flying...), so I'm going to have to re-work my schedule accordingly.

I know....I know.....Boo-Hoo for me........such a hardship......having to go on a Caribbean cruise.  But being a detail-oriented dude, and someone who NEEDS to follow a plan, this is throwing a bit of a monkey wrench right into the middle of everything.  There's no way I'm going to be able to complete those long runs on the "running track" on the ship...and I'm not going to go off on adventures by myself in port (St. Thomas, USVI, San Juan, PR, and somewhere in the Bahamas), and there's also no way in HECK I'm going to bang out 3-hour runs on the dreadmill, so I'm going to just have to get creative.

I feel like I've been pretty lucky so far with the training.  The "winter" we've been having here in Boston has been non-existent, which has made it REALLY easy for me to get my long runs in, as well as the occasional mid-week 7-8 miler after school.  My health has been excellent, and other than the normal aches and pains of trying to get this near-middle aged body into marathon condition, I've had no injuries.  Chalk that up to training smarter than last time..........and listening to my body better (going SLOWER....taking the occasional day off, etc...).  Either way, it's all been pretty good so far.  Naturally, none of this would be possible without the support and encouragement of my lovely bride of 10+ years, Barbara.  I may be running the marathon, but she's actually running it with me......maybe not on course, but in so many other ways.  I'm so conscious of the time I spend training....those hours really start to pile up, and that's time I'm away from her.  In addition, our son Benjamin is also a big part of Team Fine.  He's not a runner.....then again, when I was a kid, neither was I........but he thinks it's "cool" that his dad is running the Boston Marathon.  He also thinks I'm fast.......and I guess that will be true until he can run faster than me......which will probably be too soon!  He was there when I ran my first marathon, but he was only 6 at the time and not quite as aware of what all was going on.  When I turn right on Hereford and left on Boylston on April 16th, my 8 year old "mini me" will be with his mom somewhere nearby, cheering like crazy for me.........I'd better stop thinking about that or I'll start getting emotional again...

So I'm off on a wonderful vacation with my family.......running will be a part of it, but just a part.  It's mostly about the R&R and some wonderful family time together.......hope to do some snorkeling and soak up some Caribbean warmth!    Can't wait to go..........