Where have I been...

So I stopped blogging for a few days, in part because there was very little to blog about and also, I kinda just got lazy. We have been in Tel Aviv at our new hotel for about a week now and we have settled in nicely to not having much of a schedule. The first few days here were a bit hectic, with the opening ceremonies and then shabbat, but thankfully with the exception of a workout on Sunday, I really did not need to get over to the track at all, so it has not been too bad.

We have had a little bit of time to explore the area, or just hang out. I have walked around the city a bit, visiting a market, a more modern mall, and some beach shops. There are actually a lot of running/sporting goods stores and many carry Saucony in a big way. It is fun to see the brand in Israel, especially shoes that I have never seen before (like an American Flag Ride 5, that was never released in America) but I have to be careful not to slip back into work mode. Pictures are fine, but that is where I draw the line. I also passed a bar that had a bunch of American license plates hung up outside including one from Delaware, so naturally I had to take a picture.

I have tried to stay out of the sun as much as possible so to not drain my energy, especially on days when I am running in the evening, however, I did spend one day out on the beach and in the Sea and it was very nice. The beach is about 2 blocks away and the water is extremely warm, it is like taking a nice bath. Oh and the waves are just as good as the beach we went to on one of our first days here. Apparently there can be a bit of a Jelly Fish problem at times, but thankfully I have been lucky so far.

On Sunday I had my final workout prior to the meet. It was a simple tune-up workout that I have done many times before 2 x 600/400/200. The times John gave me were a little on the easy side, ideally to keep me fresh. It is important to remember that the race is on Thursday, not Sunday in the workout. One problem was this was the first time going to the track during the open training time with athletes from many other countries there, and when I stepped onto the track I just felt really good. I ended up running considerably faster than I was supposed to, but I felt good and comfortable and that is what matters. I really think I am ready to roll on Thursday.

About a week ago, the sprinters found out that there was going to be a surprise additional day of Track competition with prelims for the men's 200 on Monday. We had 2 runners compete both in the first heat, Sean and my roommate Colin. Sean won the heat running 21.6 into a strong headwind and Colin finished third, both advancing to the final. This brings us to today's first Hebrew word of the day (I feel like I owe you more than one, given the long lay off). Mazel Tov, actually directly translates into Good Luck, but it is said as Congratulations - or a declaration that one has already had good luck/fortune. Last night we said Mazel Tov to Sean and Colin on their great races.

Today however we actually must say good luck to our Half-Marathoners and 10k runners, both of whom are competing tonight. To wish someone good luck in the future, you say B'Hatzlacha which literally means "with success." We all received our bib numbers last night and since the Half-Marathon and 10k are both on the roads as part of a large local road race they also received their separate bibs, chips and race t-shirt. Who would have known that the race is sponsored by Saucony, and these athletes all received Saucony tech shirts. I must admit I am a little jealous, I might have to make a trade with an athlete from another country.

The main session of Track and Field will be contested on Wednesday and Thursday, with my race (5,000m) running at 8:30pm local time on Thursday. It is possible that you will not hear from me until then, as I enjoy a little more rest before race time.