Bikini Business

Ok, first things first, the Team long run Saturday morning. The coaches ended up cutting the run down 15 minutes to 2 hours 30 minutes, and I think it was a wise choice. I ran with my roommate Jordan like usual, and both of us just weren't into it the first 5 miles or so, but then we finally got into the zone and the rest of the run was great! We started at Goleta Beach and ran mostly along the Obern Trail. The route also included a 2ish mile detour out along a trail surrounded by fields of wildflowers that I've never ran before, and it lead us right to the ocean! I definitely plan to head out that way and explore in the near future : )

The weather was perfect for a run - cool but not cold, overcast but no rain or wind. When we got back to where we started, we still had a half hour to run - so we ran up and down the pier a couple times, and across the huge parking lot til we hit 2:30. We ran a nice consistent pace and hit 13.5 miles, so I was really pleased! For Jordan it was a distance PR, and her first unofficial half marathon, too! All the girls did really great and I'm so, so proud of them : )

 After we finished I talked 3 of them into doing an ice bath in the ocean - always lots of fun! The whole 10 minutes we couldn't stop shrieking and laughing as we almost got knocked over by one wave after another!

This weekend and this week my life is sort of being taken over by my sorority, so running will have to be somewhat on the back burner. I'm the chair for a greek event called ASVT, a volleyball tournament where each sorority on campus chooses a theme and gets suits that match. So I'm in charge of the swimsuits for my house, and since the event is in just 2 weeks, it's crunch time! Our samples came Saturday morning when I got back from our run, and since then I've been holding bikini fittings in my apartment non-stop! Saying it's been stressful is an understatement : / On the bright side, the swimsuits, custom designed for us by Nicolita, are super cute!

This week my sorority is also holding Spring Recruitment. It started Sunday afternoon and will continue on Tuesday and Wednesday nights, which means I have to miss track tomorrow night and have to reschedule my Wednesday tempo run. Bummer. I'm not going to freak out though if I don't hit all my usual workouts this week. In the big picture training-wise, it won't really make a difference. But on the other hand, regular running is essential to my sanity; I need it to de-stress, improve my mood, and help me focus. I have a feeling that a lack of regular runs this week coupled with all this bikini business and recruitment is going to make for one unhappy Rachel : / We'll see... I did squeeze in a quick 3 mile run tonight with a few girls on my Team. It was much needed as my stress levels were precariously high, and after I felt so much better. Plus, it was so refreshing to run at night!