I promise Not To Complain About Running ---and my lack of it!

Did you ever have one of those runs that was just plain perfect? I don't mean in the training sense where certain goals are hit and the pace or distance was more than expected, I mean just plain Zen like.

Well I had one of those yesterday. I hit Bradbury not knowing what to expect because of the no run week, the sore left calf and the probability of ice.

I decided to hit the mountain with no expectations and no real goal --other than get in a much needed run. Not  just because I haven't run all week but more because I needed a good stress relief and to connect with nature.

I was a little worried about the calf but was pretty sure it was more speed related and if I just take it easy I would be fine. Turns out I was right about that and though I could feel it, it never shut me down like last Sunday at back bay.

I expected a lot of snow and ice but found other than the hill on the boundary trail, it was pretty good going. I ran the perimeter and threw in Lunch break hill. I was surprised how comfortable I felt and the hills didn't really bother at all.

I hit many good spots of snow less trail and it felt great. I think I smiled the whole run and when I finished ........well I just plain felt great....I love spring!

OH.....and I got into the BtoB through the lottery system....who would have thought...I never win anything!!

5.2 miles @1:04:03  (12:19 pace)

Getting excited about Spring

OK.......getting spring fever and have been signing up for races in anticipation of it, but am pretty disappointed I couldn't get into Beach to Beacon. Started at 7am sharp and somehow I got beat by 4000 people. I did get into the Lottery though......so it could happen.

Also signed up for the Bradbury Badass trail series,  Merrimack 10 miler,  LL bean 10K,  Pineland barefoot 5K,  Pineland 25k and the new Tarc Fifty miler, pretty excited about this night race but not sure if I will make it fifty miles. I suspect Jedi will offer to carry me so I have that option if things don't go well.

As far as the training is going, I am still struggling with my schedule. I have not been able to find adequate time to get the runs in that I want. Luckily I have not been on a regular training schedule yet as I am trying to work on base through the winter, but now that it is March, I better get going.

I have been finding creative ways to squeeze in the runs. Saturday it was an early morning road run where I pushed a much faster pace to work harder in a shorter period of time. A trail run would have been preferable but I had commitments.

Sunday I had planned an early morning run similar to Saturday but the morning fell completely apart. I did a lot of running around during the day and glad I thought ahead and brought my running gear with me. I found a window of opportunity in the afternoon and stopped at Bradbury for a nice trail run.

I ran the connector at Bradbury and found there was much more ice than I figured so not having screw shoes, the going was a bit slow at times. I almost fell twice but somehow was able to keep control.

There were a lot of deer tracks which is quite common but after the second bridge I came across some very large tracks that could only have been made by a moose. The concept of running into a Moose was intriguing yet also a bit discomforting as they are so unpredictable.

I didn't end up seeing  any animals but did come across quite a few family groups on the mountain trails......was it secretly family day at Bradbury?

Anyway, I hope to ramp things up in the next couple weeks and start my actually training schedule.

Saturday
road run  8 miles @1:08:42 (8:39 pace)

Sunday
trail run 6.4 miles @1:24:34 (13:19 pace)

Indications of Spring

I know it is close to spring when I plan a run after work and end up bringing four shoe choices because I have no idea what the conditions will be. It doesn't help that I have not even decided where I am running.....it all depends on the day and how things go.

 I have my screws shoes in case things freeze up and I suspect ice, I have the inov 8 212s if things are not icy and I run the trails at Bradbury, I have the brooks Casscadias in the slight chance that I make it to back bay and I have the New balance minimus because it could be wet, muddy and I may want to run light and sock less.

 I really need spring this year, I have had a lackluster winter with very little trail running and quite honestly more excuses than a teenager (though  there have been many justified ones). The few times I have made it out there, I loved every minute of it....problem was getting out there.

 I am waiting for an "a-ha" moment when the fog lifts and I finally discover how to make my schedule and the demands of others work in my favor. I think the freshness of spring will help me....also bringing longer days.

I ran at Bradbury Tuesday night and though the run felt good, the trail conditions were not all that great. It seemed to be a chore to negotiate the soft melting snowmobile trail. I spent much of the time thinking about normal trails with no snow and how nice it would be.

 I need to get out of this funk and spring seems like the perfect catalyst.  I am totally done with winter......

Tuesday run

5.7 trail miles @1:02:41 (11:05 pace)

Splits:
11:40
12:02
10:37
10:40
11:27
10:05
  9:52