443 meters
the pettit center is a refuge for local runners seeking relative warmth and sure footing. today was much like last saturday morning with many folks paying their $4 for the opportunity to navigate round and round the 443 meter track. amongst the fray were my friends dana and chris as well as athletes from Marquette University and Carroll University doing interval work – – which isn’t easy to do on a crowded two lane track. i simply ran round and round for ninety minutes while listening to my ipod shuffle.
rewinding a bit, i ran five miles on thursday morning before the latest snow storm had the chance to accumulate much. regrettably, i opted for a shovel (versus my running shoes) on friday morning as there was too much snow to ignore until after work.
MTD/YTD – 48.5 miles
Odometer – 29,556.5 miles
morning constitutionals
now that my Christmas/New Year vacation is over with, it is back to braving the elements (and darkness) of 5AM running during the work week. admittedly, i was a bit lazy and slept in on monday so i recorded a big zero for that day’s miles. tuesday morning i mustered six miles with temps in the lower teens with a NW wind. same goes for this morning. both days were rather routine and a definite positive element of running at this time of day is the minimal vehicle traffic on the roads.
also, i was rather humbled to be mentioned on my buddy dana’s blog not too long ago. his reflections on running can likely be mirrored to many other facets of life.
MTD/YTD – 33 miles
Odometer – 29,541 miles
facebook motivation
a quick check of status updates from two of my friends (Jeff & Ryan) this morning got the wheels spinning for me. both had run 10 miles and i figured that sounded about right for me as well. granted, their efforts were in the morning while mine waited until the mid-afternoon but every little bit helps getting that first step outdoors.
along the way, i noticed a guy walking his (unleashed) dogs wearing only a yellow short sleeve shirt and green shorts. judging by the state in which i reside, you can guess what was written across his chest. later on, i saw a couple walking together that was much more suitably dressed for the conditions and exchanged a wave. coming back in, a local high school kid was running along the same way i was so we struck up a conversation. it’s encouraging to talk to a kid who is motivated enough to go for a run (solo) in conditions like that and be as well spoken about running in general. in all, i covered my ten miles and headed in for a hot shower.
MTD/YTD – 21 miles
Odometer – 29,529 miles
pettit patience
the temperature and wind this morning were down in a range that makes it awful uncomfortable to run outside. my dad & i decided to head over to the nearby Pettit Center to run rather than brave the elements. we both ponied up our $4 fee and headed to the track. apparently, there were many folks that were like minded as the track was bustling with runners and walkers. my dad & i ran a couple laps together then i turned on my ipod shuffle and started my workout.
i really didn’t have much of a plan for the workout but noticed that it felt awfully good to run unencumbered by layers of winter gear (and snowshoes). a few good tunes shuffled on and my pace quickened to a steady but maintainable effort. as i made my way around the track, i did what i could to weave my way past slower runners and avoid a few guys who were motoring along faster than me. for a bit of entertainment, we could take in the efforts of the speed skaters flailing around the oval inside of the running track as they were competing in what looked like a club-level meet. all in all, i mustered a little more than an hour and called it a day.
MTD/YTD – 11 miles
Odometer – 29,519 miles
retzer snowshoe
i started the new year off with a late afternoon effort at the nearby Retzer Nature Center. i brought along my snowshoes and headed out to the trails. much of the trails include short bridges made of wood which i have to avoid as my snowshoes have metal crampons that would rip into the wood. therefore, i improvised a loop that happened to work out to being a mile long which skipped any bridge crossings.
my first loop was slow, likely due to the cold temperatures and thinking about how to route myself. as i started my second loop my legs got used to the modified stride used while running with snowshoes strapped to your feet. i clawed my way up an icy, wooded hill then floated down a long downhill kicking up rooster tails of snow from the drifts. by the third loop, the sun was a big orange ball of light positioned low in the western sky. as i finished the fourth and final loop, i walked back to the parking lot to find i was the last car there. admittedly, it was rather enjoyable to have the place to myself.
MTD/YTD – 4 miles
Odometer – 29,512 miles