It has been rainy out. So rainy that if I didn't have a 10k on Saturday, I'd probably not consider running in the wet weather. If I hadn't already signed up for the race, I'd probably not. But I figured this would happen, so planned ahead.

Presenting - Project 2010k.

This year I plan to run at least a 10K per month. That's right, for 2010, I'm running at least 12 races 10K or longer. I include the "and longer" because I am currently signed up for two half-marathons (and thinking about a third and a fourth for later in the year; but I'd like to see what happens with the first two before I go chuck my bucks.) I'm not sure whether I'll be able to manage both a 10K and a half-marathon during the same month (both time-wise and body-wise.)

January's race is this Saturday (yup, squeezing it in right at the end!) I've already done one race this year, but it was a New Year's 5K, so it doesn't count towards my Project 2010k.

So there you have it -- a public declaration of my intentions. Hope it keeps me accountable!

The start of last week was tough. It was really tough. Lots of work to do, lots of "extracurricular" hassle, and in general just a tiring time. (Plus it was raining - great for our drought, not great for the rapidly growing weeds in our too-fertile soil or for very energetic boys who appreciate the outdoors.)

On Thursday the weather cleared a bit, so I went for a quick run. I joked to a friend that if I hadn't signed up for a 10K on Saturday, I wouldn't have allowed myself that break. After all, it seemed like an indulgence to actually take time for myself in the midst of a week where everyone else wanted a piece of me.

The next morning - Friday - I awakened to a couple surprises. First there was a good surprise: the previously disastrous kitchen was clean! Husband had made donuts the night before, and I feared the worst. But he had done the dishes!

I praised him ("good puppy, do that trick again!") but he gave me a little half smile, "I'm glad you like that I cleaned the kitchen, but I'm going to tell you something that is going to ruin your day."

Over a week ago, I ran a half-marathon. (Yeah, I really did. And I didn't die.) And this coming Saturday, I have a 10K trail race, put on my the same people who did the challenging mud-slinging OMG-a-creek race from a couple weeks ago.

I really shouldn't be having so much fun.

Instead, I should be cleaning my house. After all, the boys' toys and other belongings are still piled in the living room even though at least one room is dried out from The Great Mold Invasion. I should start the reassembly process. And yeah, the boxes of Christmas decorations on the porch should really go in the shed.

Instead, I need to work on Science Fair stuff. The Science Fair is tomorrow. Tomorrow. Splig and I did his project over the weekend. The Cat doesn't want to do a project. How ridiculous is it that the Co-Chair of the Science Fair's own kid isn't submitting a project? Oh well...

Instead, I should blog. (heh.)

A week from today, I'll be on an airplane bound for Florida. The last time I was in Florida, it was for the ARVO conference. ARVO stands for the "Association for Research in Vision and Ophthalmology" but "ARVO" sounds so much more hip, don't you think?

While in Florida that other time, I presented a poster on visual search, ate wings at Hooters and swam in the ocean while wearing a very strange weight-lifting uniform (because I thought I was too fat for a bikini. In reality, I was not fat in the least.) When I decided I wasn't cool enough to walk around and party, I instead holed up in my hotel room with a bunch of bridal magazines. Oh yes, I thought I was about to be engaged.

But I wasn't.

Ahem. So, um, this trip to Florida is going to be much different.