Getting back to Boston

Three easy laps around the mall. Finished off 40.69 for the training week. No muss, no fuss. Good weekend with Tyler, good training. Now back to work tomorrow night (boo). Not fond of the end of DST either; being dark at 6 p.m. is not my cup of tea. Maybe I'll get in an early AM run after getting off work at 5 a.m. Or maybe not.

Next 15 hours will be really interesting, as in, how will I handle working graveyard? I did a couple of graveyards in school 16 years ago, but this counts now. How much caffeine will I need? Will I get stupid tired, like I am late Sunday at the end of a full week of 12s? Guess we'll find out.

Before that, debated taking a URD just because I've run 20 out of the last 21 days, but decided to make it 21 out of 22. Got in 5.14 at Cross Park, meaning nine laps. Thought I saw Bhargav there, carrying a small child, but he should be at work now (unless he's on the overnight with me, which is possible). Thought about doing another lap or two, but nah. Decided to come home and rest for a couple of hours before work. I'll take that RD on Friday, when I only have seven hours between shifts (although there ain't no way I'll be back at work at noon after getting home at 5:15).

OK, I survived one night of graveyard. Wasn't very busy at all, which is good. I actually had the opportunity to try to take a nap, try being the operative word. No such luck. Gave up on the nap at 4 a.m. and just sat up bleary-eyed until it was time to go home.

I've done some calculation. Total US population is 310 million and change. In 2010, there were 22,674 American entries at Boston, or one for every 13,000 people in the U.S. With the population of Fort Smith being 80,000, there should be six runners at Boston from Fort Smith. Instead there is one: Me. The population of Arkansas is about 2.9 million, so there should be 210 entries. Instead, there are 61 -- and even that is better than last year. Fayetteville and Little Rock are well represented. Arkadelphia, my hometown, should have one entry; instead there are two. But Fort Smith only has one, and that's because I moved here from elsewhere. Not sure what that means, other than that the Fort Smith running community could stand some building.

Anyway, did my part for the FS running community by getting out and doing some this afternoon; 4.5 at about 9:25 pace. As usual, I got faster as I went along. If I could figure out how to do that for a full 26.2, I might be dangerous. Now off to the hospital soon.

Worked 12.5 hours tonight, having gotten called to go to the ER at 4:40 a.m., 20 miinutes before my scheduled departure. By the time I finished that, I was kinda wired. Decided I'd got for a run when I got home. Changed clothes, put a load of clothes in the dryer that had been sitting in the washer for 15 hours, and the sun is starting to peek over the horizon when I head out. Decided to run three laps around the mall, with the second one pushed. Well, I did that, but during the third lap, decided to add a fourth -- and pushed that one.

Wound up with 6.54 with about 3 at something resembling MP, finishing in just under an hour. After Wednesday's URD, good way to get back in the swing. Now I'll take a shower and finally go to bed.

Today was supposed to be an SRD due to the work schedule: Off at 5 a.m., few hours of sleep, back to work at noon, work until midnight. Which is almost how it worked. But tonight was light, I got to leave at 11:20, I felt pretty good considering I'd worked 23.5 of the past 31 hours. and there were still a few minutes of Friday left. So I make a quick store stop for catfood and a few other things, got home at 11:50, put up the groceries, changed clothes and went out the door at 11:59. Voila! No more SRD.

Cold front blew through today/tonight while I was at work, not sure which. So now it's breezy and COOL -- like mid-40s. Felt wonderful. Put on a long-sleeved tech shirt and shorts; didn't need the sleeves. Barely needed the headband. I kept the run to 3.2 because I did work 23.5 of the last 31 hours and need some sleep, but the run went well. Pace was low-9ish. Even attacked the hill on Duncan pretty well.

Tempted to sleep with window open, but won't. Get a shower and a snack, hit the rack, get ready for 12 more hours tomorrow. Not sure which hours that will be, as I may need to cover for someone who may not be able to come in, but whatever. I can get a short morning run in regardless.