Jan 7, 2012

After my declaration to run 1000 miles in 2012, I have decided to also keep track of them here to keep myself accountable.

Today was a 6 mile run for a total of 9 this year.

I've been doing a marathon training program from a book called (I think) The Non-Runner's Marathon Training Guide. I'll look that up for sure later. I used the progression chart in it a few years ago and got up to 20+ mile runs every week, which was very relaxing. I plan to use the same chart, but this time purely on trails and grass. I actually started a few weeks ago, so this would have been week 4, with runs of 3, 5, 3, and 8 miles. Unfortunately, I didn't get much time and managed only a single run of 3 miles before today. So I decided to try the 8 anyway, and then changed it to a 6 because my legs felt like puppy poop. But on to the run!

Today's run was at Little Sac Woods Conservation Area, near the intersection of BB and 13. The party leaving as I pulled in was a dad and his kids, all complete with rifles, so I knew it would be interesting. It really wasn't too bad, there was only one party left hunting, and I came across them toward the end while on a game trail, saw them early, waved, and turned around to head the other way. I also saw an eight year old on a gas motor powered Razor type scooter. He was just zooming up and down the steep hills, barreling along the trail at breakneck speed. I thought about being offended since it is technically illlegal, plus the exhaust smelled bad, but really that's a pretty freaking cool toy! I kinda wished I had one too.

The outer loop on this trail is about five miles, and originally I had planned to do this loop and then find some way to make up about three miles, maybe start the loop over but head back on a cutoff trail. Ultimately I just ran for a little over an hour, giving myself a conservative 6 miles. This place has some stupidly steep and long hills, so there's a lot of walking on the upside and then crashing crazily through on the downside. All in all, a pleasant but slow run. No exciting wildlife other than a red headed woodpecker. Saw a guy and his adult daughter loading backpacks to camp as I returned to the car and I waved and said hello, only the dad responded. Lesson learned there; a sweaty guy in short sleeves in the woods in January with a shaggy beard and crazy eyes does not put women at ease in the least. Go figure. I got back in my car and drove back to town, anxious to try the new Five Guys Burgers on Kansas Expressway. Unfortunatly there isn't one yet. Second lesson learned, never believe anything you read in the paper. :P

I feel fresh enough I might think about a quick three tomorrow. For now, I'm calling this six, and restarting week four of the training program next week.