Hill Repeats?

Partly due to the muddy conditions yesterday and partly because it's been a while since I've tried any up-tempo running, I chose to abandon plans to add more trail miles in favor of hill repeats at East Park today.  But for whatever reason, once there I felt lethargic, and with short rain showers occurring, I chose to bail after my first repeat...I guess that means they weren't repeats...Instead I hiked home early to work on projects around the house.  My general plan is to get another good long run or two in before the week ends!

Perhaps its my age that interferes with recovery but also because of that age (through experience), I've learned not to push too hard to finish a workout that just isn't working.  I've done that plenty of times and continued to feel tired for days.  I'll shoot for extra sleep tonight because I've been watching TV and working on the computer until the wee hours of the morning lately.  I need my rest if I want to continue the build towards June.

6 miles 

What a Mess

It's amazing how quickly conditions can change.  Today seemed to be too warm and there was an incredible amount of mud and water on the trails.  Because of that and in order to recover from yesterday's running, I purposely restrained my activity to fast hiking.  When the mud made the going difficult I opted out to the prairie trails for a while.  I was able to gather quite a few recyclable cans and bottles and then also some more  black walnuts today. 

10 miles

Diverse Opinions

Back on track with the routine...download new podcasts, put on the screw shoes, and hit the trails.  Listening to a new recording from Trail Runner Nation and realize that there is currently a wide gamut of opinions regarding footwear and injury prevention.  This podcast states we need to avoid orthotics at all costs and stresses barefoot (or socks only) at work and home whenever possible. It further claims that stretching is for bozos.  What are we to believe?  The exact opposite has also been promoted.

I guess we need to listen to the "experts" but choose what works for each of us as an individual.  I am game, however, to continue to ween myself away from the orthotics I've used for ten years.  I've already stopped running with them and have begun to go barefoot at home more often.  I still use orthotics in my normal use shoes.

There was still snow covered ice out there today but, as I discovered last week, it's easier to run on the ice than it is to hike.  Not bad traction and the time went by rather quickly.

12 miles mostly running with a few short hikes.

It's Baaack! More Snow

I've gone back and added a few photos to recent posts to help record some of the trip visually.  When I headed to the trails today, it was snowing.  A change from the green grass and robins from the previous two days further to the south.

I intended to write a bit about the training while on the trip to Illinois for indoor nationals.  And while I was pleased with the running with Curtis at the beginning of the trip, the weather and just plain being out-of-sync with my daily routine, left my legs flat and dropped total miles.  However, I am quite certain that the two days at the track...being on my feet, pacing around to various locations at the track and just simple tension of the meet...cannot be totally discounted as having no training effect.  My legs were quite wasted after the first day of competition just from moving around the event center and Eastern Illinois campus.  So even though the rain and timing of the shuttles between the hotel and the event left my mileage total a bit flat, I am pleased with the chance to spend a lot time on my feet.  With any luck, I can build on this and slowly increase the distances of my long run each week.

not quite enough for snowshoes yet again

Several times today, I slipped on ice beneath the snow
Notice the scratches caused by the screw heads in my shoes

10 miles today so 56 for the week

Saturday March 3 NJCAA National Indoors

NIACC had a larger squad qualify for indoor national track and field this year.  They had some good results in Charlston, Illinois.

2 miles for me near the hotel before the meet then another outside the field house before competition began.

Stormy

Attempted to get a run in before the days events at the track.  Curtis and I hit a nearby trail that is a reconstructed railroad right-of-way.  We saw thick clouds brewing in the distance and it began to thunder and lightning so....the planned 8 miles became 3 miles for me as I returned just as the rain increased to a downpour! Curtis braved it a while longer and endured a bit of a drenching.

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.