Thor's Running Journal

I use the blinking mode on my light vest more often these days. I don't know maybe it is the holiday spirit kicking in. 

They've been working on building some duplexes. While under construction I coud cut through the yard to a particular street. Now there is a fence up and there is no cutting through. Sort of sad at the lost oppurtunity to connect the neighborhoods, but also understand how people like to have enclosed spaces. I'd hazard to guess that the people that move in won't even know what they have beyond the fence. A little walking path between the neighborhoods would have been a kind gesture. The fence creates a mile detour. It's probably a big change for the neighbors in the old neighborhood too. To go from a field in their backyard to a bunch of duplexes. Not bad, but everyone is going to have some adjusting to do, and I suspect there will be people saying, "I remember when.... "

The roads are cleared now. Still patches of ice so got to stay alert, but no traffic to speak of at 2am. And it is easy to spot the reflections of the slippery parts. I wasn't hauling so less. Concerned. I fell hard twice in my many many miles. It scary and hurts but is a balanced risk I guess.

Nothing mixes things up like the first snow of the season. After the intensity of winter training earlier this year, I am versed in running in the snow and cold and navigating the terrible ground conditions. But there is a big difference between running in the snow when training and a day like today when there is no milage or pace goals. It would have been a frustrating day indeed if my aim was to hit 5k or 10k paces. A workout like that would have been abandoned before it began.  It won't be fun in March, but it was a little fun today.  This morning I served as trail blazer. Apart from some deer prints the snow was undisturbed. I changed that. I know by tomorrow there will be a patchwork of shoveled and unshoveled sidewalks, but this morning I could keep a rhythm, not a fast rhythm, but steady.  A few people got up earlier to shovel their driveways. A hand full of snow plows did the same with the roads and parking lots. Otherwise it felt still and quiet. Peaceful and ins...

 My legs did not feel nice at the start of my run today. The race yesterday took more out of me than I think I realized. But slow going I OK. There's no rush. Pace is just a word. Anyway I know the first mile is always a bit jaunty after a hard run the day before. I stayed on my feet and took my time getting limbered up. Fired up a podcast about a new document that came out of the Vatican and put one foot in front of the other. The cold felt tolerable until I made the turn for home. Heading west the full. Force of the cold chill smacked. È in the face. I'm glad to have a beard, but would have liked to have a little more face covering. Ah well, there's no way around the discomfort. Just through it. And then when there was the turn off on the Olson path I decided to go one more mile. I figured at this point I might as well. At home obviously the family was still asleep. I cleaned up and made a place for myself to lay down in the sofa. I've master the formula for falling b...

I ran a pb in the 5k today at the gobble gallop. I felt smooth and in control throughout the race, but glad to have it over when I finally crossed the finish line. A cross country race with uneven footing and roots and rocks and a hill thrown in every now and again is much different than being on the road where there is predictability and rhythm. A nice change of pace to be sure. I'm not sure I liked it more or less, but I certainly felt different. I came off the line  fast, but settled into a pace quickly and didn't over do it. I picked off a few people in the first mile and worked on grinding out the. Second behind someone else. It's easier to be a chase than the chased. Navigating tight turns and people walking there dogs made for a unique experience too. I need to be patient and let up just enough to make sure I could pass cleanly and confidentiality. At the end knowing I wouldn't catch the runner in front of me and there was a gap behind me I felt like just letting...