Rinse and repeat

Finally after the many months of starting and stopping and trying to get myself on a consistent training program I have success. Four weeks down and counting, mileage is up and strength is returning. I'm finally feeling like myself again. Slightly speedless and hurdleless but back.
Perfectly timed is a New Balance Twilight Meet in Boston with a steeplechase. I decide to give it a go. Turns out to not hit my expectations of qualifying for Nationals, I was a minute off. In the beginning I felt a bit foolish against some of the field, but I still mustered up to the line, even as I felt flat for the 7.5 laps, I still hammered on. Not sure if I wasn't ready to race yet or maybe doing the travel thing the day of was a bad idea. Either way I did it. I needed to get my legs rolling and besides I got to see and hang out with my teammates, even if only for a couple of hours.
Next up a couple of days later, there's a low-key meet in NY. I decided that I would attempt to qualify through a provisional race for the steeple. I know that the times and races correlate with each other to a degree, but sometimes it's a little easier to run a flat race vs a hurdled race. I thought maybe my body wasn't quite adjusted to popping over 28 barriers and 7 water pits, and maybe I just needed to ease into it. Not that I ease into much, seeing as 90% of the time I'm a take gusto kind of person rather than a take my time. Why not give it a try. I debated between the 1500 and the 3000 or even both, and in the end opted for the longer race thinking that I should be able to hit the qualifying time without too much trouble, even though I'd never actually raced that particular distance flat before. I also had a slight feeling that I'd either hit the mark for the 15 or I'd be devastatingly close (which would be frustrating). I gave it my all or something as near to my all as I could. No luck, 30 seconds away.
Still hoping there's a chance I set my head to Sunday, Club New Englands. No telling what 3 races in a weeks time will do.