I did my 7 miles.
I ran my 7 miles today as scheduled. I really, really, really wanted to stay home. It was below freezing again and the wind was blowing. We had some sunshine but it didn’t help much.
The good news is that I wasn’t sore from yesterday, just real tired. I told myself that anything better than a 10:00 is ok, so just go slow and take it nice and easy. Ofcourse the wind was at my back going out so it was fun to just pick up the pace, then at the first turn I got the wind from the side. And soon it was in my face. Just trudging up the hills.
Oh yeah, one more thing about those guys I ran with yesterday on the trails. They are going to run in the Boston Marathon. Yeah. Alan had done his 16 miler the day before. These are the people that run in the woods like that and have fun. :)
I was going to run my usual loop through the side neighborhood to give me my 7, but the roads were all clear and I didn’t want to trash the Yaktrax by running on pavement. Isn’t that wierd? Needing to run in the snow?
So I extended my route out another mile and a half. I was glad I did, there were some really cool old farms and stuff farther on that I had never seen before. More of those fuzzy horses. I passed a farm where the farmer was loading those giant disks of hay onto a truck. Gotta respect the farmers who have to work on Sunday too.
The new section had much steeper hills than what I had run on before. And long. I didn’t notice them going out because I was going down them. Going back, it was one long hill. Although, this would be a nice spot to do hill training. A good long, even hill. Maybe I’ll be using that in the future.
And a word about chaffing. Um, bandaids. On runs longer than 5 miles, in the winter, when I’m wearing heavier clothes that tend to brush my skin more roughly than in the summertime, get the bandaids please. Blood on my white running shirts is not nice, even if it does wash out. Bandaids, trust me.
A quick look at my running log says that this was a record breaking week for me at 21.5 miles. Whoohoo! No wonder I feel tired. :) Probably a light week for the real runners out there, but its a big step for me. The month was not as amazing, at 48 miles, probably because I lost some mileage when I was sick. I’m pretty happy to have had such a long week and not had any injuries (knock on wood). I guess the reduced mileage for the month (should be closer to 62) probably helped. Counting my blessings and we’ll see what next month brings.
February 27th, 2005 19:34
You sure went from wimp to Wonder Man in pretty short order. A good day wipes out all bad days mighty quick. Good for you.
February 27th, 2005 22:37
Congratulations on a record-breaking week … glad you’re feeling better and now soaring!
Don’t you think it’s funny how we all kind of qualify ourselves?? You write that your mileage is a light week for the “real runners”, and I write in the same tone about not being ready for a race. What does a Boston Marathoner write?? :)
February 27th, 2005 22:42
I’m getting a bit better about not comparing myself to other runners. And I say “a bit.”
Congrats on having such a good week.
Kirsten
February 27th, 2005 22:44
By the way, do you like the Girl Scout cookies, Thin Mints? My girls are in Brownies. We bought some and i love em. just stuffed on in my mouth a minute ago. Another chocolate moment on-line!
February 28th, 2005 00:03
lol, I am so glad I stated Im a frolicker,, if your not like a real runner,,, I really am just a froliker,laffin,, oh, I laffed at the giant disk of hay,, you mean a round bale? And yep,, we have to feed even on sundays,, slaves to our animals..We have fuzzy horses too,, tho they wont be come spring. :) love hearing about your run,, keep up the tremedous effort and work!!!
February 28th, 2005 01:30
Don’t forget the Body Glide!
February 28th, 2005 09:05
Chaffing, runner’s burn either way it hurts. I’ve had good luck applying vaseline in all likely chaffing areas. Try to avoid pure cotton as well, synthetic running shirts, for example, seem to be better than cotton. You can then wear cotton over these shirts. My experience anyway.
Happy running!
February 28th, 2005 09:27
Great week, Jon.
Watch out during the summer for rainy days - that seems to bite me more than the heavier clothes during the winter does.
February 28th, 2005 09:34
Sounds like you’re doing wonderful work. Keep it up. This looks to be a much more promising year for you, so far.
February 28th, 2005 09:37
Ah, the blood on the shirt. Back in college, the cross-country team was (of course) the least-funded team at the college. We had to wear hand-me-down uniforms from the basketball team the first year I was there. They had big letters stitched on to the front. One race in those shirts and you never forgot your bandaids again.
February 28th, 2005 11:10
Congrats on your record breaking week. Thank goodness for Bodyglide, Vaseline, Bandaid and cornstarch for between toes.
February 28th, 2005 13:23
21.5 miles per week?!? You are my hero! I wish I’ll be as “productive” at some point :)
February 28th, 2005 18:00
Bodyglide does not discriminate. You can put it anywhere and it just works Jon.
GREAT JOB!!!
February 28th, 2005 18:53
Good for you, getting out there for 7 after yesterday’s wander in the woods!! Sounds like a progressive week.
P.S. Who’s a “real” runner?? You are, ya big silly!
February 28th, 2005 21:03
great job, jon! sounds like you’re sticking to hal’s schedule and getting to see some new areas around you as well. super groovy. and you know, it’s not so much the rawness during the run, or the blood on the shirt, shorts, socks, etc…it’s the sting when you hop in the shower that does me in.
smsmh gets me boxes and boxes of the small circular bandaids for niples. those things work awesome.
February 28th, 2005 21:35
What a great series of runs for you. I know, after your struggles, this must feel mighty fine. You deserve it, Jon. Just keep the bandaids handy! Well done:)
March 2nd, 2005 12:12
Awesome run, Jon! I have to agree with the Body Glide comments– works better than vaseline, and that chafing WILL happen in new places each week depending on what you’re wearing. I have scars under my arms now from marathon training-chafing. Battle wounds!