Luck of the Irish

Today’s going to be a busy day, so I plan to start my 20 mile run at 7 am. Laura and I are hosting the triathlon club at our house for a St. Patrick’s Party, so I have to help clean the house and get things ready for the 20-30 people we expect. Plus, there is an Irish Soda Bread contest at a nearby bar, and for years people have told me that I should enter, so I made a few loaves last night, and one of them will be my entry.
I drop some Gatorade about 4 miles away from the start of my run, because the Park Forest Running club will be out. I’m already running late, because I forgot to get some Gel packs to eat on the run. Right now, I am using GU, and Power Shots, but they are getting harder to find outside of running stores. I should probably just order a box online. It is after 7:15 when I start my run. It’s sunny, still, but cold. I have lighter tops and jacket on, but I still have tights. Within the first 2 miles, I wish I wore thicker gloves than these white cotton throwaway ones. I get back to the car, and I put on some fleece gloves over them, and I keep going. I aim to get back at 8 am, when a bunch of the park Forest people will be there and Megan and Gil will join me. My goal pace today is 8:30, which it was for my 20 miler 2 weeks ago. The weather is more favorable today, which is good because I did not make that pace the last time.
I see a lot more people on the trail this weekend. I think they have finally caught up with the time change, and are coming out earlier since it is light out. The weather is not as sloppy as the last few weeks. I also see people that I know are going to run the Shamrock Shuffle at the end of the month. It’s almost as if all the St. Patrick’s parties and parades this weekend reminded them “Oh – St. Pat’s! I better get ready for the Shamrock Shuffle!”
I get about 4.5 miles in, and I see Megan running up, and I recognize Gil pulling his car into the lot. What surprises me is that a group of bike riders is gathering, and I know some of these nut-jobs. It is maybe 35 degrees, and it might hit 50 degrees by 2 pm today. That would be about the threshold temperature for me to ride a bike. A few of these guys are invited to our party, so I check in with them, and also let the Park Forest Runners know that I left water and Gatorade out.