Heading up the hill that is a bit of
a challenge especially last fall
on my bike! First time I have run up
it in a long time!
This weekend was not as cold as last weekend. Saturday - in my world was downright balmy! Two layers on top and a headband and gloves. We (T is back - yeah!) went 11+ miles. There was snow on the backroads but overall the footing was fine. We talked and talked and talked some more as we hadn't run together for a few weeks. We had lots of catching up to do and the miles flew by! Our pace was not fast but it was fine. I did find out I was colder than I thought as I felt chilled for a great deal of the day. Plus this run just plain tired me out. I was useless for the rest of the day. I did NOTHING productive! I did my stretches, read, ditzed around on line, and repeated the last two several times, staying in the rocking chair right next to the woodstove! I ended up going to bed rather early for a weekend.
T heads up!
Today we were scheduled to do a 3 mile pace run, the first one in the half marathon training plan. I say WE very happily. T has never run a half marathon but has signed up for this one! She has run all 5Ks except for one 10K I talked her into a few years ago. She isn't easy to convince so I am thrilled she will finally toe the line at a half marathon. It is a small local half but there will be some real speedsters at it. That's okay. I just want to have my own good race! Back to the pace run. Well, running 11 yesterday instead of in the other order wasn't going to help us meet our pace. The fact that I don't have all my stamina back wasn't going to help me meet my pace. But forget those two, the fact that both of us decided not to wear Yak Trax really met we weren't going to meet our pace! It was slippery - not just on the back roads either. It had snowed a few inches and the paved road was snow covered and slushy! When you had to be on the side because of traffic the slant of the road sent you sliding into the guardrails! When I saw my first mile pace - 9:48 - I thought CRAP! Well, my friends it only got worse. The next mile's pace was 10:05 and the third mile's was 10:15. I was going for 9:30 so nope, I didn't meet my pace. Oh well, it was faster than I have been running under some pretty lousy conditions. I'm not going to beat myself up other than the poor decision regarding the Yak Trax! But then I would have no excuse for not meeting the pace!
Heading home - a welcome
sight!
The best news of the day is that I am wearing some jeans I haven't worn in a very long time! I have had a great January in the "Lose that holiday weight department!" so I am quite happy!
I also have my credit card out and seem to be registering for races. At this point I have 3 half marathons. I should also find out in the next few days if I got into the Vermont City Marathon Relay. I will be crushed if I didn't! I have other races I am contemplating but those are my big ones for the spring.
Just because she is so darned cute!
(All of our cats love to sleep in
boxes and Torres chews them!)
29 comments:
Wow! You always have pretty snow pictures.
It was like a spring day for me today. It was actually kinda warm for my liking. I usually do nothing too productive after my long runs - mostly laze around, watch DVDs, eat, go online and did a bunch of who knows what...
My puppy sleeps in a box with shallow sides. She chews the corners too.
Hope the trip to Lulu was successful!! Congrats on getting in those jeans!
Kudos for getting out there in subpar conditions! Pace is pretty hard in the snow sometimes. Love the pics!
I need to tell you this, I ordered a bunch of Vermont maple syrup, Vermont maple candy and Vermont maple cream this Christmas!
Love real maple sweetness!
It is always peaceful running in the fresh snow - looks fantastic. Don't worry, ours will be back tomorrow but we SO enjoyed the 62 yesterday! (not rubbing it in or anything ;-) Have a great week and stay warm!
Vermont looks beautiful in all your photos. I'm impressed with how much you get out to run in the snow.
If lack of traction was the reason for being a little off pace, then I would say your workout was still just as effective, if not more, since it takes more energy to compensate for your feet slipping. I know the same thing happens to me on the dirt/sandy roads.
Nothing like a long run to get all caught up! Yay for running buddies and awesome that T is running the half too!
Gosh, our kitties love cardboard boxes too. This is the only way they will actually travel in the car, in cardboard boxes, forget fancy cat carriers.
Hey, good job on your running in such tough conditions. You are so totally impressive.
An 11 miler is serious stuff--you've come a long way quickly! Gorgeous winter wonderland pics as usual.
Congrats on the race entries and the JEANS!!
Awww, these pictures really make me miss the Midwest -- beautiful shots! Great job on running on such conditions. :)
Wow, running in the snow for that long can't be easy...but it sure looks like it could be beautiful. Thanks for the pictures.
I was sorry to get your email about the school situation. I'll be thinking positive thoughts for all of you! Big hugs!
Gorgeous run and congrats on the jeans! Wish my January was as good in the weight loss category. February can only be better. Snow running is hard core, I want to try it some day.
Seriously?!? Running in the snow is tough, don't beat yourself up about your times (without the trak's!) You rocked the runs this weekend!
I think any run in those conditions can be marked successful. It's just great to see that you can run often again. Enjoy your half marathon training!
Well done on the weight loss. I always hate putting on jeans I haven't worn for a while just in case they no longer fit.
Effort is effort, don't worry about the time, your pace job was great! Congrats on the weight loss and can't wait to see your race list for the year!
Yikes, just getting out there is a win in my book. Your pace looks good to me, but then again I don't run that fast generally. What a cute kitty, maybe we are related since Torres is my last name!
Wow, the Vermont Marathon Relay now has a lottery. I remember signing up the week before the race way back when ... times have certainly changed. And I don't know if it's true, but I've been told that post-run, all-day chills might be a product of poor nutrition/post-run fueling, provided it's not something more obvious - like it being chilling indoors.
Great job on the post-holiday weight loss!
That's great that T. is doing her first half with you. That will be lots of training fun for the both of you!
Well you may not have reached your pace but you did go out there and just do it and sometimes that's more important than reaching a certain goal. Well done Andrea on both runs!
I can't imagine getting myself out there in that cold for a run. That is awesome. Sure makes me feel like a whiner when I think 40 F is cold :)
I know you love winter but still I admire you for running in all that snow! Great that T is going to do a half with you!
3 Halfs - that's great - wish I lived in Vermont. Wish T luck for me! Your pace seems good to me but anything slower than 11 does LOL.
well hello torres! such a cutie. I love that T is doing the race with you! Now I just need to nail down her son for a race too
That's pretty kick-ass girl, don't beat yourself up!
Well done on losing that weight! I'm so glad we don't have snow here, and it's very mild at the moment. You are tough to go out in that cold!
Very pretty pictures...looks like a lot of what we've been seeing. I think your pace looks pretty good for the conditions, with or without Yak Trax! I'm amazed by how much the snow takes out of you, even a thin layer.
Beautiful pictures. I just remembered that I never posted my "ugly" ones. Seriously, I tried to find some, but couldn't.
Hey, I met Emily. She's cool.
You and Emily are race registering fiends :) Don't worry too much about the pace run - you have the ability, the weather/roads just weren't cooperating! Try to arrange this week's pace run so that you can for sure get it done?
wow 11 miles! I've registered for four races so far!
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