Been cold, been snowy - so no chance of any bike related shenanigins. It's been too bloody long. Both road (fixie) and the mountain bikes (2 x SSers) are spending countless weeks of inactivity hunkered down in my garage giving me scaving glances as another day passes without a ride. Course I feel guilty, especially when I occasionally see other hardy (or is that stoopid) souls out on their bikes - crikey the roads are so slick in places!
Perfect Running Conditions - Michigan Style!
Either road up! Been a week of running - since I have now committed myself to attempting to get sub 180 for the marathon at this years "Flying Pig" I have been trying to get some momentum going with the running. Basic idea right now is to get used to running hard and hurting! Last year was all about the 50 miler and so much (like pretty much all) of the running was super slow and easy. Now it's time for pain again.
Monday, ran at lunch from work. Usual 5 miler, down to cemetery, into arboretum round the trails back to cemetery, lap of cemetery and back up the hill through the technology park and back to work. All good to start out - feeling great! Once off the road life is more interesting as the link to the cemetery is virgin snow to break trail through - only 3-4 inches but the drag is there. In the cemetery the roads are slick so time for caution. Arboretum trails are rutted and slick - trying to keep an even stride is tricky and the slight hills in the park really take it out of me - I can feel the tingling in the shoulders that is a sure sign that I am entering O2 debt.
Back into cemetery and now the wind (that I hadn't noticed on the way out, cos it was behind me pushing me along - which explains why I felt so good!) is in my face - biting. In minutes the cheeks are raw and then numb. By the time I an back in the technology park I am done! Running on empty, PERFECT! Last 2/3 mile is purgatory just willing myself on. Pass colleagues going the other way, just starting their run, but can barely manage a feeble hand wave. Keep the pace to the end and am spent - slow cos of the conditions but the effort was there.
Wednesday and Friday mornings and it's an early run - 5:15am out of bed, 5:30 am and I'm out on the road. North on Okemos Road - picking up the pace to a tempo run by time I turn right. Try and maintain pace over Tacoma and Manitou to the trail head. Been meeting a fellow runner each morning (also wearing a head lamp) exchange Hi's then hang a right onto trail to Edgewood school. In the snow and before dawn the brush lined snow laden trail in the moonlight reminds me of Narnia - I'm looking out for the Snow Queen every morning. Onto Ossage, trying to lift the pace, left and up Manitou - left and lift the pace up the hill to the next trail head. Straight on onto the field - right down the hill left and across the snow covered field to Dobie. On Dobie back to tempo running - build pace steadily to railroad tracks - aim here is to achieve the shoulder tingling O2 debt by time I hit the tracks. Pause to pick up a stone from the tracks then onto the middle school field. More breaking trail - every day the snow is smoothed by the wind blown snow - over soccer fields onto XC course. Legs burning and pace bloody slow by now - but its a good strength workout and knocks the wind from you too - especially when the wind is blasting into your face, feeling like it's stripping the skin from your exposed face. Onto the trails - tough running slick and uneven. Then hang a right onto the very "rural" trails leading behind Delta Dental - running the deer trails. Final obstacle is the short sprint up onto the top of "Mount Okemos" to drop the stone gathered from the railroad onto the cairn I'm slowly building and then it's time to head home.
Wednesday the weather was a balmy 20 oF, but Friday life was a bit more challenging, 8 oF but with a significant breeze leading to a wind chill of -5 oF (them monkeys are not having any babies any time soon!)
Saturday morning and it's time to step it up with a road run with Mr fast running Mark. Bit late getting going so instead of scheduled 10 miler, time is only available for a 7 miler. BUT the weather is brutal. -8 oF with wind chill and snowing. Head out fast to try and push it, but the reality is that I am not nearly as fit as I had thought/hoped! After 2.5 miles I am done. From pushing the pace I am reduced to just trying to hang on to marks shoulder. By time we get onto Okemos Road heading south (3.5 miles) I am head down just keeping the legs moving. Don't quite see the icy ridge bordering a road entrance in time catch my right big toe on ice like concrete and suddenly I am face down spreadeagled in the road sliding on the ice. No harm from the fall but the big toe is bruised and sore. Finish the run "on fumes" another run where effort was a "10" but the speed was a solid "5". Need the hard miles to go in over the next few weeks.
Sunday and even freakin colder!! -(that is minus) 5 oF air temp!! when we get up. Unbelievable! Had off to Caberfae ski resort with MLW and daughters #2 and #3. Awesome day, super fun trails (from novices like us)! Well worth the 320 mile round trip! Might even get into this going down hill idea! Bit of down hill confidence wouldn't go amiss with my MTBing!
Cheers
DB
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