You mean the race is in 10 weeks, right?

Okay, okay. I admit I missed the Tuesday night Hannaford run - but it's cool. I already ran in the a.m.

That's right, you heard me.

I got up at 6:00 in the morning and ran the good old Back Cove (a.k.a. "The Boulevard" or "Boolie" as I like to call it when I've had a few drinks and that warm 'I love everybody' haze settles in and I get to thinking we're better friends than we really are).

Of course the only notable haze Tuesday morning was settled solemnly over the water - and the rising sun quickly shooed it away.

I had been running Macworth Island in the mornings (remember, way back when, when I was full of naive enthusiasm?) but the recent rain had likely turned the trail into a mud river and the island into a mosquito birthing factory.

Besides, the short Macworth loop makes it too easy to skimp out after only one go-around. And it's too close to race day ("race" - I have to laugh) to risk cheating.

So I ran the Back Cove - well, walked some. I'm still no Olympian, people. But it felt good to get moving in the morning before heat consumes the air and before the 5:00 p.m. sugar crash drops me into walking coma.

It's good practice for the race anyway, which starts at 8:00 a.m. Training in the evening is great to a point, but it helps to get your body used to waking up, eating a bit o' grub (or "fuel" as a real athlete might call it) and being ready to run.

I typically start of the day with a cup (or six) of coffee and don't think about food until noon or so when I catch myself absentmindedly gnawing my own thumbs. But running on an empty stomach ain't good - no matter what that "Lose 50 pounds in one week!" diet plan said.

By the way, did you know the Beach to Beacon is in 10 days? Seriously, I just counted.

Shit.