Last year California was on fire and a race that I had trained for and was super excited about, Napa Ragnar, was cancelled. This, however, meant I got to spend my Saturday-Sunday with Tammy watching her crush the Rio Del Lago course. So it worked out.
This year, California, on fire again and a race that I trained for and was super excited about, Monterey Bay Half Marathon, was cancelled. I was going to run fast. I was going to run smart. It was going to be my last confidence boost before CIM in a few weeks. Until it wasn't. But again, it worked out.
We spent the long weekend exploring Pacific Grove and Monterey.
We stopped by the beach. The water was cold.
We went to the Monterey Bay Aquarium, which is right on the ocean and amazing. I did not get any amazing photos of the fan favorite sea otters, unfortunately. But both kids got up close to watch the sea otter feeding, which I also didn't get a photo of because I was standing in the back. Short people problems.
We even ran into some Carleton swammers. Carrie and her family were in town escaping the poor air quality in Alameda, while Karin was fleeing the Woolsey fire in Southern California. Next time we are all in Monterey due to wildfire, we'll have to remember to get a photo of all of us.
We also visited the Dennis the Menace park, which is a very nice, very large park designed, in part, by Hank Ketcham, where I managed to lose J2 a minimum of three times.
But just like the cat, he continued to come back. Thankfully.
Finally, on Monday as we headed back into what now feels like the apocalypse, we took our time stopping in Gilroy to do some shopping.
So what have we learned? November is a bad race month for this girl. But it's a good month for seeing old friends and spending time with family. There's nothing more I could ask for! Except for rain and clean air, please.
