Saturday, January 30, 2010

Snow Run / Two-A-Day

So, I managed to run two times today!  That makes a total of.. uh... two times this week.  Overall, 7 miles in a single week is not much, but at least I got two runs in today to round out the week.

This morning, I ran an easy/medium 4 miles.  I caught the run early before the snow.  I felt creaky and I felt both knees for the first two miles, but after that, I felt fine.  I chalk up the creakiness to the fact that it was the first time I had run in 8 days.

Then, the snow started.  It has pounded the East Coast, with a lot of snow down south, which is unusual.  There was more snow in Richmond today than in Fairfax.  Anyway, around 5:00 pm, I decided to run in the snow.  I used my trusty ol' shoes with screws in them, and managed to get out while the flakes were still falling. I ran an easy 3 miles, mostly easy because the snow was still fresh on the roads.  It wasn't well packed and every time I ran up a hill, I lost a lot of traction.  My pace dropped to 10-11 min/miles up hills although my effort was in the 8:30-9:00 min/mile range.  Down hills was pretty good.  The screws kept me stable, and I wasn't worried about falling.  This run felt wonderful.  I loved running in the snow, and although my overall pace wasn't great (9:22, versus 9:06 this morning), I am really glad I got to run twice today.

Now tomorrow? Hmm... I would love to run again, but the snow shovel is calling.  I saw a lot of people who had shoveled today, but since the snow fell pretty much all day, and since the snow wasn't a wet snow, I think I could plow it off the driveway (versus actual shoveling), so time is on my side.  If I shovel tomorrow morning, no run.

Friday, January 22, 2010

Stress begets a run

Okay, around 3:30 am I woke up.  I tried to go back to sleep, but to no avail. So, at 4:00 am (ok, 4:06) I rose out of bed to see if the 'icy/wintery mix' had come through.  Since it was still 34 degrees, and not glazed over outside, a run was in order (those of you who track my blog are now thinking 'but John... don't you have those snazzy shoes with the screws in them for just such an event?  I mean, those screws weren't free you know, you need to get your money's worth!', well, yes, I thought that too, so even with an icy glaze, I think I would have gone running).

5 miles later, I felt less stressed (oh, why was I stressed? family member ill? something wrong at work? nooo... Cub Scout Pinewood Derby, of all things... sheesh!).  Lately, I have been pushing the pace a bit, trying to keep all my runs under a 9:00 min/mile pace.  Today was no exception.  I believe it was an 8:44.  Now, with all of 3 runs this week, it's nothing to write home about (but apparently, enough to write a blog entry about), but we'll see about tomorrow.  Tonight we are setting up the aforementioned Pinewood Derby and yours truly is MC'ing tomorrow (and will be wondering if the glue is going to hold -- the wheels (that is, the piece of wood I accidentally broke off while adjusting a wheel) as well as the weights... I'm not too sure about it!).

Maybe if I get up again early tomorrow, I can squeeze in 8-10.. That's asking alot right now though....

Saturday, January 16, 2010

Downward Trend....

Well, this week wasn't that good.  I ran on Monday... then again today.  That's two whole runs this week, for 12 miles. Ehhhh... I just couldn't get motivated this week.  I need to race to sign up for, I think.  I've been eyeing the backyard burn runs, so maybe I just need to sign up for one.


Well, today, I ran 8 (easy, on trails).  It felt great.  I stayed off the pavement (well, mostly, as there were several stretches of paved surfaces on the trail), but overall, it was great.  I ran along the Rocky Run trail (http://www.fairfaxcounty.gov/parks/trailmap-rockyrunsv.htm) into Ellanor C Lawrence Park (http://www.fairfaxcounty.gov/parks/ecl/facilities.htm). Getting to the main trail at Ellanor C Lawrence park was the most difficult part of the trail (not that it was all that difficult), as it was the hilliest.  The Rocky Run trail was very flat except for a few gradual hills.  I would like to find additional trail runs around here without driving too far away.  I've done Burke Lake (again, not technical at all), Bull Run Regional Trail (semi-technical) and Rocky Run/Ellanor C Lawrence (again, not technical).  Once I get some mileage up, I can try to tackle Difficult Run (named after a creek, not the difficulty level), but, actually, it is a little difficult.  I can also go back onto the Fairfax County Cross County Trail (that's a mouthful), but I need to drive 20-30 minutes to get to a starting point.  blah blah blah, complain complain complain... :)


Well, at least I'm on track for running on trails on Saturdays!


Saturday, January 9, 2010

Good End to a So-So Week

Today, I ran 9.2 miles at Burke Lake Park (http://www.fairfaxcounty.gov/parks/burkelake/).  I kept a good pace throughout (8:43) but snuck in a 4 minute break half-way through to eat a GU energy gel.  It was also a great place for my 'snow shoes' -- the running shoes with the screws in them (see this post for more detail: http://yagerrunner.blogspot.com/2009/12/icy-run.html).  It was light, puffy snow, on top of packed snow as well as several places of ice.  I didn't grip great on the ice (it was very hard ice), but I didn't slip too much either.  Plus, I was able to pound it up the hills (really they were gentle slopes) without fear of falling.


My first lap (4.6 miles around the lake) was run in almost total solitude.  I saw only two other runners on that lap, and it was quite peaceful (I also saw one deer).  Right at the end of the first lap, I was thinking that 4.6 miles was enough, but then I saw a whole bunch of other runners.  That kept me going, so I had a GU and took off on another lap.  The cool thing was that I saw the two other runners on their second (maybe third?) lap, as well as lots of other runners and walkers.  Not nearly as many as during the summer, but it was good to see so many on a cold winter day (24 degrees, 14 wind chill).


For fun, I left myself a note (of sorts).  At 3.5 miles, about 1 mile from the end of the loop, I purposefully ran on fresh snow at an identifiable location.  Then, on my way back the other way (I took a reverse loop the second time), I saw my foot steps.  In other words, the 5.5 mile John saw the 3.5 mile John (well, sorta).  Hey, you gotta so something on your long runs....


This week? eh...  I only ran twice before today, so only three times total for the week, for only 17.5 miles total.  A far cry from the 31.99 miles the week before, so I need to get myself in gear.  Hopefully, next week will be better.


Friday, January 1, 2010

Happy New Year!

Happy 2010! Is it 'twenty-ten', or 'two-thousand-ten'?  Dunno, but I'm sure we'll figure it out soon enough.

To start the year off right, I ran 6 miles today at a 9:00 min/mile pace.  About 1.5 of it was on a trail (rocky run trail).  I thoroughly enjoyed the run, although it was a little icy (not much on the road, but a little slippery on the trail).  I'm still trying to figure out what sort of training I'm going to do for the National (Half) Marathon in March, assuming that I'll sign up for the North Face Endurance Challenge in June (this is still in the thinking stages, and not signed up yet).

Happy New Year!