Tale of Two Cities

On the way to Eastern Illinois for indoor nationals.  Ran twice with Coach Vais today, once in Peoria then again in Matoon.  The weather was a bit milder from what we left in Iowa as evidenced by greening grass and presence of sweet gum trees (a more temperate growing zone).

Sweet Gum Tree seed pods

I was pleased with how I felt during a few stretches of the runs today but also it's very apparent that I don't have the legs that I did when I used to train for marathons nor am I able to handle much pavement.  Perhaps I have become too complacent with the training that's evolved at Lime Creek...I hope the Black Hills 50 has a lot of trail running!

12 miles for the day as 8 in the AM and 4 in the PM.

NJCAA Region XI Indoor - The Blue Meet

Drove to Decorah this morning to help with day 2 of the regional meet.  I took an easy day and spent an hour walking what I remember of the cross country course around campus.  Photos help show off the interesting campus at Luther.

through the woods along the xc course

circling the practice fields beside the sports center

The indoor track is in the center building with the blue roof.

It occurred to me during the meet, that due to team colors...there was an awful lot of the same blue... including the track surface!

3 miles for me today .

Hilltopper Invitational

Traveled with the NIACC track and field teams today to Mt Vernon for another indoor meet. We're still in the process of trying to get as many athletes, individual and relays, qualified for the indoor national meet in Illinois.  We arrived early enough for me to sneak out on the local roads for a run of my own.

It was a bit icy to start so safer to run on the gravel beside a county blacktop. Then the walks were better as I came back into town so the temperature must have been rising.

Again, there were some good races today.

Samoane Waddy and Caila Jones are running in blue in this shot.

4 miles

Field Trip Saturday

Another Saturday consumed with indoor track.  A nice bus drive up to Minnesota State University - Mankato and some good performances by our athletes.  Felt as if I should have planned better to have clothes and shoes along for a workout. Just walked and stood a lot today...good training for time on your feet!

Women's 1 mile; Emma Pogreba in blurred, blue uniform by pole vault pit

0 miles

Yellow Snow

I didn't post yesterday as the entire day was involved with an indoor track meet for NIACC men and women at ISU in Ames.  A 7 AM bus trip and didn't return until 8:30 PM. I didn't attempt to run down there in anticipation of a strong snowshoe run today.

Lied Rec Center - ISU campus

So today I was able to get out in the morning on the trails around the quarry at Lime Creek.  I've always enjoyed being out on trails, especially taking note of the wildlife and woods around me.  What I didn't really think about until today, although alluded to it in recent posts, is that snow adds another dimension to the run regarding what goes on around me.  Tracks of the wildlife or other trail users begins to tell me a story of what's going on before I get there.  I can now see where the trail has been crossed, or followed, or even where the dog walker ahead of me pulled over to take a pee!!  It all adds another dimension to the run that was hidden or lost to the woods, without snow.

6 miles

Due to the return of snow and my transition to using snowshoes, and the day off for indoor track, I wasn't able to hit 60 miles this week.  I'm happy with 47 miles though because of the extra amount of true running and especially the miles on snowshoes.

Indoor Track Season Begins

Panther Open - UNI  - Cedar Falls, IA

I drove the NIACC bus to Cedar Falls this morning for the Panther Open.  This is the first indoor meet of the season for us, although many of our athetes ran at a pre-season meet in Mankato before Christmas. 

We'll have a very interesting season with lots of great student-athletes.

The meet lasted til late afternoon and I arrived home at dusk.  I did not get out for a run today, only a few walking laps of the UNI-Dome mezzanine, but plan on a good run tomorrow if things work out.