Round and Round

 

I usually have a long day scheduled for Saturday or Sunday, but I had coach move it to today given the Christmas holiday weekend.

I usually do a "quality" session midweek, and a long run on the weekends, but today it's both. 17 miles. 

2 mile warm up, followed by a marathon pace mile (8:20), followed by an easy mile (8:30-8:45). Repeat 7 times.

Being December in Wisconsin, it's a balmy minus 8 with a wind chill of minus 30.

So. I joined a local gym that has an indoor track, 1/8 mile. That's 136 laps. It sounds boring, but it's really not. It is a lot of turns, so I am hoping to get there early enough to do some reverse laps before anyone shows up, and I have to do the rest based on today's counter-clock-wise rotation. 

I tested it out earlier this week, on a short 8 mile run and let me tell you, it's a waaaay better than a treadmill.

So, here we go, round and round.

Edit: Done with that one, ran with Jess for the middle 9 miles. A little hot sometimes on the recovery miles, but inside temperature of 70 degrees makes the miles feel effortless sometimes. Cadence is still wonky sometimes, I think the corners are getting me off a bit. Trying to stay in the 170 range, would love to see it get to 175 as the year progresses. 

Resurrections

 

I am back at running, mostly roads right now. After 50 or so Ultra Trail events, I have come to the conclusion I am just not good at technical trails.

Oh, I'll do trails, like I plan to do Ice Age this year, and hopefully finish somewhere in the middle of the pack. Having volunteered there for 12 years, the RD is letting me in gratis. 

But my real goal for 2023 is the Mesa Marathon, followed by the London Marathon in April.

If I plan and train well enough I will qualify (3:55) for Boston next year. Boston 2024 is like two days before I turn the clock on 65 years. Crazy right?