Hello Brad? This is the Universe calling...

So, tonight, I may have had my running plans laid out for me for the next year without my doing anything to facilitate it.

Ran into O'Cal tonight at Thrifty's. Actually, he found me (remember, I played no role in any of this). We chatted about teaching and coaching our cross country teams and then talk turned to our own running. I have been pretty consistent in the last eight weeks (except for a few days around the the madness that is the starting of school again) and I am starting to feel like I can move into the next phase of training. Paul's group, Aspire Running, is winding down their season and are about to start their base phase as of late October.  This is almost perfect timing for what I was thinking and with heroes like Little Nelson, Chester, Walker, and Ruljancich, how can a guy not want to join in?  So, while innocently looking for smoked turkey from the Thrifty's deli for my beautiful wife (they only had oven roasted, so I hope that works!), I may have somehow committed to running with the squad this winter.

Not to rest on its laurels, the Universe, via Chris Kelsall and the The Q's Victoria Track Series, drew my name out of 202 entries tonight to win a season's pass to the 2011 edition of the Victoria Track Series!  I got the email from Chris, the series director, as I was packing up for school tomorrow.  This is a great series which I was not able to participate in this past year because of both a nagging hamstring injury and the planning and travelling around our wedding.  I was disappointed about my absence from the event this year as I set my 5k/5000m PB at the inaugural event in 2009; however, I now get to make up for it as I have entries to every single race that is run next summer (except for the kids races - damn)!  I am very excited to be a part of this series as it is well run, well attended, and a lot of fun!

So, Universe? I think I get what you are saying.  I accept your planning on my behalf, but next time, some warning, please.  I am not prepared for this kind of intervention on a rainy Wednesday night in September.