Winter. Again.

ORN:  14.5 miles, 2:31:31, 10:27/mile

Some days, the most crucial step of a run is the one that takes you out the door.

Such was the case for me today.  I've really, really enjoyed the unusually mild winter we've had so far...what a nice break from our usual December-February for this year-round outdoor runner.  But a cold front whistled in after a light snowfall on Friday, dropping temps into the teens overnight with a 25 mph wind pounding from the northwest.

In addition, I had test #3 of 6 to take today...this one a 14 miler.  I had to cut short a normal run on Thursday with some severe soreness in my right hip.  Today, I had to get out in the cold for 14.

As so often happens, once out the door, it went OK.  After all, my temperature chart never lets me down, right?  And so I got the miles in.  Surprisingly, at a pace better than I had anticipated.  The right hip was a bit stiff but slowly loosened over the 2+ hours outdoors.

Test passed.  Running--an A-.  Attitude--C.  But a pass. Still on track for Kal-Haven.

Persevere.

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A Trail where there is no Trail

Do you ever see something and wonder "why have I never SEEN that before?"

Had that happen Sunday afternoon on my long run.

As I've mentioned before, I've become increasingly fond of running on trails.  Dirt, not pavement.  Woods, not streets.  We have only one option locally and, being along the Wabash River as it is, it's under water for much of the winter and/or so muddy to be impassable.  I miss it.

And then I "saw" it.

Much of our city's 17-mile walking trail system on which I run look like this:

From Circular Logic Marathon Course Tour

Asphalt down the middle.  And nicely groomed grass on either side.  And, as I ran down the middle of the asphalt on Sunday, another runner coming toward me was running on the grass.  

Of course!!  Who says I have to run on the asphalt??  I can experience many of the good parts of trail running just by stepping onto the grass!  The unevenness, the softness, the better workout, the use of more leg muscles for stability--all those things, right there for the having and yet I missed it.  For how many years??

Better to see these things late than never at all.

Persevere.

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Eating while Running

I mentioned a few days ago I tried a new recipe for eating during long training runs.  I found it in a biking publication and it sounded good--whole wheat, uncooked oatmeal, raisins, nuts, fructose, milk.  I whipped up a batch Friday night and tried them on both my long runs over the weekend.

The early grade?  OK, but needs tweaking.  I over-cooked them.  They were pretty dry.  I needed to cut them into quarters before tossing them in a baggie to carry with me.  But, it was nice to eat some solid food and, having made it myself, I knew what was in it.

I also carried some of my JoeGu, a recipie which I've had more experience tweaking.  That stuff works great and is very easy to carry and digest on the run.

Yet, there's something nice about "chewing food"...

Will continue to tweak this new adventure.


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B2B

ORN:  12.0 miles, 2:06:52, 10:35/mile

B2B.  I always thought this was a marketing term-"Business to Business".  But I've recently learned it is also an ultrarunning training term-"Back to Back".  Taking two long runs on one weekend.

I've never done this until today but realized I needed to amp up my mileage if I'm going to survive the Kal Haven 33.5 mile run in late March.  So, this is the first of three consecutive weekends of doing B2Bs.  If I get through all three, I'll do Kal Haven...if not, I won't.

And I was amazed.

18 yesterday was enjoyable.  Did a 4/1 and just kept moving.  Today was surprisingly enjoyable.  12 more miles, just kept moving and a pace 3 sec/mile faster than yesterday.  No pain.  Felt good at the end.

So, test one of three--passed.

Now, something about a football game tonight??  For the second largest eating day in America, after Thanksgiving???!

Persevere.  Even in a pile of nacho cheese chips.


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An Ambassadorial Run

ORN:  18.0 miles, 3:18:08, 10:38/mile

Today's long run route took me past a hotel which is conveniently located for refilling water bottles and use of facilities.  Walking past the lobby this morning, though, I noticed a lot of New York Giants decorations, an unusual sight here in central Indiana.  I asked and learned this hotel was full of Giants fans, happy to have a place to stay, even 60 miles from the Super Bowl site in Indy.

Heading out to resume my run, I saw two guys in Giant jackets, smoking big stogies, and so I walked over to welcome them to Indiana and our fair city.  We had a fun talk about Eli and Peyton and cornfields and their homes in New Joysee.  As I was heading off, one of them asked "So, is this Midwestern hospitality?"  Yeah, I guess so.  "Amazing...people are actually friendly."

Winning friends, one at a time!!


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The Muffin Man

After the discouragement of last weekend's cut-short long run, I revamped some training plans during the week and this weekend is the first test.  

Part of it is nutrition.  Found a recipe for "Energy Muffins" a while back, and whipped up a batch tonight.  All sorts of good stuff in them, both carbs and protein.  Will carry some with me tomorrow for what I hope is an 18 miler.

Let you know tomorrow how it goes and what the plan is looking like.  I have three weeks in which to decide go/no go for the Kal Haven 33.5 miler.

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February a "shorts" month?

5:30am.  February 1.  In Indiana.  

And I'm out the door, in shorts, running on dry pavement.  

Amazing.  

We have enough wicked bad winters, I'll sure take this mild one. 

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