8 Event August: Week 1

What the heck happened July? I swear I couldn't tell you what exactly happened between the Fourth of July and today aside from turning off and dropping out--almost completely--for a little Canadian Rockies hiking. But before the eighth month of the year escapes me as quickly as the sixth and seventh months did, I wanted to attempt start August better than I did June and July. Goal: putting events on the calendar so I don't regret missing a 5K, adventure race, kayak relay or triathlon when I'm curling up under a blanket, yanking on my hat and gloves, and retreating to my favorite comfort foods when the cold hits us all too soon.

Ah, August. The eighth month of the year. The month without a major holiday that we all take a break to celebrate (unless you count weddings like the one I'll be missing this weekend). The month with the number that the Chinese consider lucky--a random bit of trivia drilled into my brain when Beijing hosted the Summer Olympics in 2008. Sticking with that eight theme, here are eight events to keep you occupied for the week.

1. Josh Cox runs the Capital. Join the American record holder in the 50K and Michael Wardian, another speedster, at Pacers Logan Circle tonight at 6 p.m. for a Q&A, run and brews. Granted I'd have to hop a plane right now to make that happen--and wish that my legs could handle the distance--but I thought of my D.C. friends and relatives when I found this flyer.
2. Vision Quest and Well Fit ride the Ironman Wisconsin course. Who needs a little pre-race prep on the IM Moo bike course? Sign up for these rides--VQ's there on Saturday and Well Fit's there on Sunday--and you'll get SAG support, refueling stops and plenty of pacers to keep you on target for your race day goals. The sad part? These are the last rides VQ and Well Fit are hosting on the course for the season. Let's just hope W-DOT doesn't tear up a road the night before.
3. Centurion Wisconsin. Not too far from the above rides' starting point, you'll find Centurion cyclists racing Wisconsin's hills on Sunday, Aug. 7. Ride 25 miles (Saturday), ride 50, or ride 100--this course is guaranteed to give you bragging rights among your cycling friends. And some bulging quad muscles. Read more about it in Chicago Athlete's digital issue.
4. CNN's Fit Nation takes on the Nautica New York Triathlon. Six individuals are about to become full-fledged triathletes and compete alongside Dr. Sanjay Gupta, who hosts Sanjay Gupta, MD every Saturday morning on CNN. Whether you've been following their stories or you're new to the fold, you'll want to tune in this weekend for the live coverage. Trust me: conversations with Kas Seerla and Kendrick Henley got me cheering already. Anyone racing?
5. Terrapin 5K. Store a pint of Cherry Garcia in the freezer for a treat after this Grateful Dead-themed running race that Liz called the happiest happy hour Chicago offers. Running, beer, pizza, music, a summer night? Yeah, sounds like a winner to me too, especially when I factor in the tie-dyed race tee.
6. Evergreen Town Race. When don't I have Colorado on my mind? Probably never. So when I stumbled upon this August 7 5K and 10K through the town where my friend lives, my eyes perked up. Plus its description as a fast course leaves me begging to see how that could happen in the Rockies where you're almost always guaranteed some form of altitude training. Or so I thought.
7. The Champions Run. I'm dreaming if I think I could get to Colorado for Sunday (my dad's birthday is Friday and I'll be lucky if I can surprise him, and that's miles from Evergreen). But here's a 5K/10K option that's a little closer to home. With predicted temps cooler the city has seen in weeks--and no rain--it almost seems like you have to skip sleeping in to see how your speedwork is paying off.
8. Ironman Boulder 70.3. It's tough enough to swim 1.2 miles, bike 56 miles and run 13.1 miles. Try doing it at higher elevation, say 5,400-ish feet above sea level, like the competitors who'll be racing this half Ironman. My lungs are already panicking, but good luck to the competitors--I'll be tracking from my computer.

What events are going on in your neighborhood for the week? What's on your race or training calendar for the rest of the month? Help a Midwest-minded girl out. I'll be sharing eight more events next week, and the next, and the next, but share your local happenings in the comments section and you might just see it in a future listing.

Photo grabbed from i-team.forumotion.com.