SFBayDuck
Footballguy
Last long run of the training cycle this morning. I got up a little earlier than usual and was out the door just after 5:00, with the headlamp on for the first time since last winter. Whether it was the 10 miles I ran Thursday or the 90 minute massage I had yesterday, my left quad was feeling a little off - the Brits would call it a "niggle". So while the original goal was a 20 miler, with exactly three weeks to the 50 miler I decided to be careful and conservative and not push it too much.
I actually ran on the roads (gasp!) for about 4 miles to a trail head a little further away, throwing down sub-11:00s (the raw speed I have!), then stayed on a fireroad running in the moonlight up a 400' climb, and turned around at the top to see the sun starting to peak out a bit. It was up another couple of hundred feet to the lakes I run around all the time, and now light enough to hit the singletrack. It was amazing that a place I run multiple times per week can look so different at times, and today was amazing - I stopped for a good minute just soaking in that view. Then back down the trail, around another lake - and then the skies just opened. I ducked under a tree for a minute to see if it would pass through or let up, but once I realized it wasn't I trudged on.
I was feeling really good but the quad was still a bit off so I decided, and not just because I was more soaked than Gru on an August run, to cut the run a little short. Slipped and slid down a really steep section of trail, back on to the road for a final mile back home and very satisfying 17 miler.
I actually ran on the roads (gasp!) for about 4 miles to a trail head a little further away, throwing down sub-11:00s (the raw speed I have!), then stayed on a fireroad running in the moonlight up a 400' climb, and turned around at the top to see the sun starting to peak out a bit. It was up another couple of hundred feet to the lakes I run around all the time, and now light enough to hit the singletrack. It was amazing that a place I run multiple times per week can look so different at times, and today was amazing - I stopped for a good minute just soaking in that view. Then back down the trail, around another lake - and then the skies just opened. I ducked under a tree for a minute to see if it would pass through or let up, but once I realized it wasn't I trudged on.
I was feeling really good but the quad was still a bit off so I decided, and not just because I was more soaked than Gru on an August run, to cut the run a little short. Slipped and slid down a really steep section of trail, back on to the road for a final mile back home and very satisfying 17 miler.
penis wind
great job, tri!
Yeah, didn't mean to sound so casual. I guess my mind was hung up on the couple sluggish miles at the end and missing the AG. It was rewarding to do what I was unable to do three weeks ago. Anyway, thanks, all.