It's hot.

97 degrees today. Yikes. Too bad it wasn't 98 degrees...then today would be a boy band!

This weekend started off with a 6 am wake up call and my first Runner's Edge training. It was completely awesome...I joined the slowest pace group (shooting for a 4:45...that's four HOURS and 45 minutes...marathon which means pacing less than 11-minute miles for the race but between 11-12 minute miles during training). Everyone in this pace group was fun...lots of first time marathoners to get to know. We ran from Runners Roost in Denver (afterwards the owner gave everyone a 20 percent discount so I got new shoes...yeah!) and I ran to Wash Park and back. Every two miles they have "aid stations" complete with water, gatorade and a dunk bucket (ice cold water and a sponge) and for the return trip some sugary snacks and pretzels for energy when you're going a little further distance.

I'll be running/cross training 5 (FIVE!!!!) days a week...with mostly wednesdays and fridays off. It varies though...Next Saturday is 8 miles and it only gets longer (and longer) from there. With the heat we'll start running at 6:30 and maybe even 6 in the weeks to come, so that will definitely be something to get used to. I'm excited to see what future Saturdays hold...the group even has a key drop bucket. You don't know how annoying it is to set off on runs and have to worry about a place for your keys.

Afterwards I headed to Westcliffe for Father's Day weekend with the 'rents. Its my dad's favorite place and honestly I don't do well communing with nature in the middle of nowhere (haven't been since 2005). We had a good pizza dinner though, and played the world's longest game of Uno. Sunday we went for a 4-mile hike through the woods. The best part of the cabin is two things: 1) the cool "texas" rocks I steal to add some nature to my backyard and 2) the original gameboy that my mom has up there for Tetris (but I found Super Mario!). Kids these days don't know what they are missing...the original gameboy rocks! My mom even has a pair of shoes up there that I bought in 8th grade (I even remember buying them, which is weird)!!! They are sport sandals that I guess still serve a purpose?

Back in Denver I'm gearing up for the big Web launch this week...should be "fun."