puddle jumping
i got myself off the couch early in the afternoon. i had a good excuse for my slothfulness as my youngest dozed off while sitting next to me under her blanket. temps were much more mild than yesterday morning’s effort, but i still opted for long tights and shirt. (nike dri-fit for those in the know)
i initially headed north to improvise some miles before heading south into the wind. not long after starting, it began to drizzle…which really tested my resolve. some folks expound about the glory of running in the rain…i’m not one of them, especially with temps only in the mid-40’s. regardless, i soldered on heading down to the fox river trail. i happened upon a group of folks gathered at an intersection where 3 teens had been involved in a fatal crash the day before. honestly, it was a sad sight to see and is a reminder of the short time we have.
i kept heading south, running on the road next to the bike trail in order to avoid the puddles of rain and snow melt. i ended up hopping onto the trail at a certain point to push a bit further but ran into an impassible puddle and ended up turning around for home. ironically, i was stopped at 7.49 miles and had the intent of running 15 miles. at this point, i had been running a bit over 61 minutes which translates to a little slower than 8 minute per mile pace.
heading home, the wind was of benefit as it pushed me along. rather than doubling back over my initial route, i opted to detour west along the glacial drumlin trail then turned north onto grandview. i then turned west onto madison and ran up a few good hills before turning south onto university. i then ran around bethesda elementary and back home with 15 miles completed in 2:01:41 which translates to 8:06 per mile pace.
overall, i felt pretty good. there’s no question i can move much better with temps warmer than what is more typical in the arctic regions of the world. i’m also pleased that i "sandwiched" 30 miles in this weekend. if i can keep progressing the amount of miles crammed into the weekend, i might have a shot at a decent long race this spring.