Jan. 16: Well, the choice was made for me today! It was out the door and off to work very early. Flew to LAX and then flew the LA Lakers to Newark. A very long day indeed.
Jan. 17: Waking up in Newark with a one leg flight to Atlanta after a short night, , running on the treadmill was not even an option. (Did I mention getting in the miles this week was going to be challenging?) Luckily, once at home with Mom and Dad, the rain had stopped and Paddy, the dog, was ready for a walk. Out the door for a 2 mile fast paced stroll with Dad and Paddy and then nice 6 miler at a fast clip. Total miles today was 8 with the walk.
This would be running near Newark Airport.
Or a walk with Paddy the dog! It was worth waiting for an afternoon walk and run!
Jan. 18: Running in the southeast in winter is almost a treat with the cool damp temps. This morning it was a dark departure and about 40 degrees. The first mile or so was with way too many clothes and after dumping half, it was an awesome 11 miler! Fayette County has finally added a paved path along Redwine Rd that leads to town. Oddly enough, as a kid, going to town was a big deal since it seemed like we lived way out in the boonies! It was only 4 miles but it sure seemed like quite a bit farther to a young kid. Now, running to town is not nearly enough miles and to get the full distance of 11 miles required a trek through various neighborhoods. These neighborhoods used to be cow pastures which I used to run through or ride horses through!
Jan. 19: A basic slog fest of a 6 miler. Mostly a walk, but sometimes that's how it goes. The important thing is the legs and butt were out there!
Jan. 20: With plenty of sleep, a great 10 miler was in store today. Traysen and I took off quite late (730am!) and blazed through the 10 with no effort. These runs are always a hoot and provide inspiration on those days when the slogfest occurs.
Jan. 21: Today was the longest run of the week with 19 miles on the agenda. Traysen opted to boycott the whole mission so I was out the door at 620am with just enough daylight. Those first few miles in the cold air brought an easy spring to the step which included a nice solid 1 mile climb around the 7-8 mile mark. All was going well heading into the half way point but then all &)))$$$#$@@@ broke loose! I was up ....and then I was one with the dirt. The classic chest, right knee, right elbow plant!!! Nope...no tree roots, no rock poking through the dirt....basically a benign stretch of dirt road tripped me up! This one took a few minutes to move past. A ripped up knee and no air in the lungs were slight cause for concern; however, some forced efforts to pull some air back in and off I went...at a slow walk, then a slow trot, and then back up to full speed within 10 minutes of impact. The knee? What's a few more holes in the skin with a bit of blood spewing? The remainder of the run went just as well as the first half before the head over teakettle incident.
More on falling: For those that run trails, there will be falls. They just come with the territory...sometimes it is rocky, tree root infested territory! The key to these deviations from the vertical progress is to first, not panic or freak out that there is most likely blood coming out of some newly created orifice or that you may not be able to breath with no air in the lungs...not to mention the forward momentum has been completely bashed to the ground! While it is important to take a moment or two to assess the damage to determine if you can continue, it is actually better to get back on your feet and slowly start moving again. The longer you sit on the ground and whine about it, the quicker the muscles shut down and become cold. The usual associated stiffness can often set in quickly also and your mental well being has already taken a huge blow so it is better to regain composure and start moving. Now, this is not to say that all falls allow us to start moving again. Some are very serious and seeking medical is sometimes needed. It's a judgement call to say the least.
Sunrise this morning.
Jan. 22: Well, the damage from yesterday's fall was not too bad. Some early morning stiffness, some bumps and bruises, but there were 13 miles on the agenda today! And so out the door with a slow start. Quickly, however, it was up to full speed and a wonderful outing! The minor aches and pains subsided, becoming almost an effortless outing. One oddity was the lack of confidence in the step. By this, I mean the mind was playing very close attention to NOT falling! Each time I pondered going head over teakettle again, my step was much more cautious.
Summary: A great week of running! Even with a digger on Saturday, the body and mind are at full steam ahead! As mentioned, trail running and falling go hand in hand...or is that foot n foot?
Total miles for the week: 67.0
Total miles for 2012: 189.0...which is 30 miles ahead of last year at this time...so much for cutting back on the miles!
Sarah, glad you were back out and at 'em. Lynne & I had a great uphill run with the hard wind in our faces. Typical for us! Would have loved to have you along for company, but we managed all 13, even pushing 9:30 min mile before Ice Lake. We rocked, and it sounds like you did too!
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