Serves Me Right

Yesterday I was replying to Kurt about the snow he had received in St. Paul and I was responding, "glad it was you, not me". Dang, woke up to 4-5" of fluffy white powder snow this morning and didn't really expect it. I really wanted to get in the twenty-miler I had planned so the plotting began. (I should know better to trash-talk about the weather in March living in Duluth)

Today's run was all about motivation. I had a decent week of training going and really needed to run twenty miles today as part of my overall base building phase. (I had ran 18 milers a couple of times) I didn't know what to expect when I hit the road but my goal was to run as much as I could handle in the snow and finish on the treadmill. On the roads the snow was almost unnoticed. It actually gave me a good "cushion" with each step. The problem was to run on roads that hadn't been driven on much. With the tire tracks came slippage. So, off to the trails it was. I managed to run some yesterday and figured as long as the base was there, grip should be decent. The first lap was really good with minimal trouble spots as far as sinking or slipping goes. With each progressive lap the footing became worse and I was starting to wobble a bit with each step. So that's where I called it. Time to go to the treadmill. I had ran fifteen miles in Hartley trails, which I was stoked with, and all I had to do is finish on the treadmill. I got home, ran downstairs to change, tried to minimize the delay and hit the 'mill. It took me a bit but the quads finally relaxed and I settled into 7:13 pace. The last two miles the quads were yelling for me to stop but all else felt super! I finished my first twenty-miler of 2008. Very happy with this one as the first fifteen were a lot more challenging that I was giving them credit for. A good way to end the week. 

After having a decent build-up in January (55-60 mile weeks), and then the major cold weather and my "virus"(I'm not sure which one, but I am sure it was one of those little suckers) that took me out most of February, I am happy with the last four weeks. (66, 74.5, 60, 86 miles respectively) My mileage may stay in the 80 mile per week range but I have to adjust accordingly as the new schedule demands.

I still have to get the specifics but next week will start the twelve week plan for Grandma's Marathon. The basic format of the training will not change much, but the intensities and duration will. 

Totals: 2:37:50  20 miles (15 on snow trails)

Weeks Totals: 86 miles

Years Totals: 589 miles