I knew I was delinquent in my blogging duties but really, how did almost a month go by since my last post?

I suppose I have been just a bit busy, though.  Here’s just a snapshot of what’s been going on:

• I have been to California and back…twice
• Work is busy but rewarding as ever
• We continue to try to finish up our remodel project and are finally tackling the last major painting project
• I am switching from “base building” mode into training in earnest
• Although I haven’t picked my next 5k to race seriously, I’m targeting early/mid September
• The house has gotten to be a bit of a mess (particularly since Charles has been left to his own devices a couple of times while I was away) so I’ve been trying to tackle that
• It’s almost time for our anniversary cruise!
• I’ve worked arduously on a little sentimental anniversary gift for Charles that I will disclose at a later date (shhh!)

So what’s coming up?  Well, there is still a whole heck of a lot of excitement before the (sweltering) Florida summer comes to a close.

LOVE & LIFE

I am so incredibly excited for our vacation just one week away!  As you may remember, Charles and I are headed off to celebrate our 1 year anniversary aboard the beautiful Disney Fantasy!

If you follow my blog really at all, you know how much I L-O-V-E Disney Cruise Line!  I really think it’s my favorite type of vacation and I think this will be my 8th voyage if I recall correctly.  You could say it’s an addiction and that’s probably not too far from accurate.  This will be the first time that I sail on the Fantasy which I have been dying to do even before the ship’s maiden voyage.

During a family cruise on the Disney Magic in December 2011, Charles and I made the mistake sound decision to stop by the future cruise sales desk.  At this point we were engaged and looking forward to our September 2nd, 2012 wedding and I got the crazy idea to book a trip for our 1 year anniversary and take advantage of the discounted fares and on board credits that they offer when you book on board.  I figured, if we found a good deal to sail before then, maybe we would cancel this trip but it was nice to know we had this sitting out there.  Well, as time passed, I fell in love with the idea and couldn’t bear the thought of canceling this great trip.

I don’t know where the time has gone but we’re now down to just 1 week till we board.  Our itinerary includes stops in Cozumel, Costa Maya, Grand Cayman, and Castaway Cay (Disney’s private island).  We are really looking forward to enjoying all of the wonderful food, shows, and other activities that the cruise has to offer as well as enjoying some downtime.  Although we travel pretty frequently, it’s rare that we take a whole week away so I practically cannot wait!  I think Charles and I both need a physical and mental break from everyday life.

Oh, and you can bet I’ll be taking on the Castaway Cay 5k!

RUNNING

The summer heat has been just brutal and has made training difficult.  In spite of that, my travel seems to be throwing a bigger wrench in my training plans than anything.  While I have been maintaining a pretty good track record of running 7 days a week for the last few months, it was virtually impossible not to take days off during my California trips.  Between being busy, not getting enough sleep, and having trouble adjusting to the time change coming home, there were quite a few missed runs.

I did find an opportunity to spend a bit of time at the Disneyland Resort (which was quite a treat) and I did managed to find a great running route that made the runs I was able to get in an exciting adventure.  Since the information about where to run at Disneyland is a bit spotty, expect a full post describing my route in general.

In the next week or so, I want to finalize my fall race plans.  I have my eye on a couple of races in early/mid September and then the Tower of Terror 10 Miler is the next big distance race on the horizon during the first week of October.  This means I really need to ramp up without excuses in the next few weeks.  My cruise and a vacation with my mom to celebrate my Birthday at Disneyland at the end of September may make this difficult but it’s time to buckle down to ensure a great fall season!

SEE YA REAL SOON?

Hopefully my posts will start to pick up a bit!  As always, life is an adventure that can be tough to keep up with but I wouldn’t have it any other way.

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What’s been the best part of your summer?  How has summer travel impacted your training?