Spring

It was a short winter. So sad. 

BROWN BROWN DECEMBER!!!!!!!!!!!

Brown December is back on full swing, after christmas brought us a thoughtful 55 degree day, with at least 2 inches of rain. You might think I am being sarcastic, but I was 100% ok and on board with this event. I even headed out after work for a very pleasant, early summer rainy day run. ZERO complaints. PLUS, it rained enough to legit wash it all away- no annoying residual ice to cope with!

Looking fancy on Christmas

It was a really decent week on the running front. There was some treadmilling along, since I worked A FUCKING TON this week, but I also was able to get outdoors several times. 

At this point, sunset has thoughtfully moved to the *convenient*  hour of 4:10, so we are beginning to gain ground. I believe sunrise is still at 7:17 though, so woking sunrise to sunset is still no challenge at all for me. 

Well. That's not ugly. 

I joined in another challenge this week, mostly because it has a really pretty medal and I have precious few of those from this year (which is a fact, but to be truthful, I find these challenges to be quite motivating!) Of course, I still am plugging along, and slowly gaining ground, on the positively endless Boston to Bar Harbor (I am over 75% done at this point.)

The new challenge is much shorter, and from the looks of things, is going to be downright fast and furious for the leaders. (someone logged over 70 miles in week one, so there's that!) The goal is to complete 202.0 miles before Spring (March 20). This certainly is a much more manageable number of miles that any challenge I have done this year, but I am hoping to finish it in 6 weeks. 

So. We are moving quickly towards New Years and 2021. While I know that the change of year will not be a magic cure, I will not be sorry to see 2020 leave. Good things have happened this year, but the shadow of actual, real doom has been ever present. I am very happy to report that both my sister (ICU/Critical Care nurse) and my mother (home care nurse) have been given their first Covid vaccine with no ill effects. All of us are having zero family/friends holidays, and are collectively feeling annoyed by people who can't seem to have a merry zoom Christmas. *sigh* 

I don't really know how my running numbers look compared to years past, but I'm sure I'll compile some data this week for an end of the year wrap up. I certainly know, that the lack of races sis not cause me to quit running, so I guess I'm not  fair weather athlete. 

Happy Holidays kids. Wear your masks. 

Stats:

Miles run: 

Running: 37.3

Straight up walking: 0.0

Total: 37.3

Warmest day: 55

Coldest day: Not cold this week. 30 I think

Snow: 2" rain

Place in Challenge (s) on Sunday night: 

Boston to Bar Harbor: 129/572 A 10 place improvement. Slow and steady, and ahead of schedule. 

202 Winter miles: 33/994 A good start. New Years will make this one crazy, I bet, with a lot of people logging enough high mileage to finish very quickly. 

Winter.

Week one of Boston training complete!!!

Whoops. Old habits die hard. 

Pretty ordinary winter week around here. Monday through Friday on the treadmill due to work/darkness, COLD cold weather, and another (much less hideous) storm.

Winter certainly set in mid week and brought us the first deep freeze of this winter season. With lows in the single digits, and highs in the teens, we all remembered why we do not like it here!!

My treadmill miles were labored this week. I go them done, but my motivation was low (no daylight equals pretty low energy me) my legs felt yucky, and it was a slog. 

I did get out for some outdoor miles over the weekend.

I had some pretty sold weather on Saturday, but my legs felt heavy and gross from the week on the treadmill. 

On Sunday, I was generally feeling better (plus, finally an easy work day!) but it snowed like crazy! It actually was not bad at all, but my face indicates otherwise. 

The holidays are coming up, and we have zero plans this year. Covid is going absolutely bat shit crazy around here, so we are sticking close to home (as in: AT HOME.)

My friend Danielle and I had discussed doing a self-supported Dopey Challenge leading up to/into New Years weekend, but we had the maturity to conclude that neither of us were fit for such an adventure. 

currently, my plan is to run the total mileage (48 and change) over the course of New Years week. WE SHALL SEE!!!!

In conclusion, I was able to get all my Boston to Bar Harbor miles in last week, plus a few. I'm still running a bit ahead of schedule, and could take almost a full week off and finish. 

Stats:

Miles run: 

Running: 31.3

Straight up walking: 1.5

Total: 32.8

Warmest day: 30

Coldest day: Low 3, high 19

Snow: 5" 

Place in Challenge on Sunday night: 139/572 This is a 12 place improvement, which (honestly) I am surprised by. I am not cranking out massive mileage at the moment. It will be interesting to see what happens over the Holidays. Since people (HOPEFULLY) are not traveling, I have to think (HOPE) there will be more people, running more miles. 

A week late, due to many ridiculous things

I'm a week behind because for the vast majority of last week we were without power, due to a very messy winter storm.

Ice, rain, snow, countless trees down, 5 days without power. MESS!!!!! 

So, backtracking a bit. I had a pretty big week two weeks ago, wrapping up the half k challenge on Monday the 30th with a solid 9-plus mile day. I believe I managed to run about 35 miles that week, and walk 3. (non work walking. I walk all day for work....)

This past week was not as amazing in the mileage department, but I still ran 28 miles and walked 2. The storm was a real monster, and left me pretty wiped out a few days. Also, poor Ellie got sick, and even though she is recovering nicely, we had a few stressful moments. (days.....) 

I seem to still be on a self-imposed-run/walk streak, and I would like to see it through to the New Year (butttttttt) I'm also recognizing that not a lot of "good" running is coming from this streak. If I decide that matters, I will take a couple guilt free rest days. I have not had any physical issues other than my sesamoiditis flaring- but it can do that basically anytime. 

So just a quick update this week to get back on track. Only a couple weeks left in this crummy year, and only a short time until the days begin to have more daylight. 

Oh, one more thing.

Normally, this would be week one day one of Boston Marathon Training. 

THIS IS SO WEIRD. 

I must assume something of this topic must have recently been published in main stream media, because over the past couple weeks several non runners have asked me the following question. How do I feel about runners in other parts of the country running marathons, and achieving BQ's during this time when many of us do not have reasonable access to events (or would be required by our states/jobs to quarantine after.)

Well, honestly I had not thought about it much. 

I suppose, (not to lame out) that it is what it is. 

Lots of things are "unfair" right now, and this is a pretty small thing in the big picture. BUT, that being said, it does kind of suck that Floridian runners are running and BQ-ing right along, during this time when it is JUST PLAIN UNSAFE to do so. 

The follow up question almost always is "should BQ's even COUNT right now"? I really have no idea how to answer that. Athletes work hard towards those goals, and they should be rewarded. BUT. BUT!!! The thought that major sporting events are still being held now, when hospitals are overwhelmed and people are getting sick by the thousands seems absurd to the extreme. And selfish. 

And then the FOLLOW up, follow up question is: If I had the chance to run a marathon this winter, would I. 

FUCK NO. Not unless something really, really major happens and suddenly COVID becomes not a thing. NOPE NOPE. 

So yeah. That's what I think. 

Stats:

Miles run: (last week)

Running: 35

Walking: 3.6

This week:

Running: 28

Straight up walking: 2

Warmest day: A few days in the 40's, nothing too cold yet

ONE disgusting storm where we got inches of ice, a few of snow, and FIVE days without power. 

Place in Challenge on Sunday night: 151/571 14 place improvement.