I like a plan. I scope out my running week in terms of miles. Now that I am recovering from a summer of knee pain, I am trying to add small amounts of mile increases on some of my slow runs.
I learned my lesson back in May, when my excitement with my new found love of running had me pushing up my mileage too quickly. Eventually, I stressed out my system and it all fell apart.
10% increases now. Slow build. Listen to the body for sighs of fatigue.
One thing I have trouble accounting for is an ornery toddler who is not too fond of sleeping. Pre-dawn running on 2 to 3 hours of sleep is tough.. more like the act of getting out of bed and starting the process in the dark.
So, I'm off plan today and it will be picking at me all day.
Saturday, August 25, 2012
Tuesday, August 14, 2012
Running Through It at South Mountain
By Steve Peterson
Time off from running, even if it is enforced, causes me to stir. When my mind wanders from home life or work, I naturally go to running. Will I feel okay the next time? Will I recover eventually and get back to the carefree runs I discovered around the second month of sticking to it? In injury (and other ailments) one starts to think that you will never be healthy again.
Riding NJ Transit |
I was without car, so I ventured out to Milburn on New Jersey Transit. The trail head sat right across the street from the train station.
What I noticed as I walked up the road to the various trails branching out from the reservation parking lot was how hot and muggy it was. The trip started later than I had originally planned and took longer than I thought to get there, so now I was heading out in the middle of the day. I had 40oz. of water, and what looked like no chance to buy more when I got back to the station.
Trail Head |
After a quick two miles, I re-entered the parking lot. Not what I was expecting.
I knew I should have headed out on the Rahway Trail that was marked just before the lot. This was a single, mostly dirt track heading into the dark woods. I decided to head down the trail and see where it would take me.
The rough trail turned through the woods, running along small streams and reservoirs. Every hundred feet or so, I would have to look up quickly to scan the trees in the distance looking for white flashes. Occasionally, I lost sight of them and would have to wander through the pine needles to look for the trail. As I got weaker in and more depleted in the heat, scanning became a dangerous game. Every so often, I'd catch a hard toe on some root or rock and nearly stumble into the water below me. In the end, no twisted ankles, but I did get a blackened toenail out of the deal.
Eventually, I found myself hitting the end of the trail (as far I was willing to go). I came out of thick, low-lying bushes and found myself up against a highway guardrail. I guessed that I would have had to cross the highway and find the trail on the other side. Knowing that I was about two miles from the lot,and that I would have to stumble my way blindly through the woods, I backtracked. When I got back to the trail head I was spent. The trails had been a peaceful respite from the city, and it was a pleasure to get out for long periods of time away from anyone. It was quiet out there in the middle of the burbs.
An hour of waiting and two trains and I was home.
The thing I love about running is that every time I venture out, it could be the hardest, most excruciating thing I've encountered, but I get through it. From the first full mile that I ran without walking, to longer distances, cold, dark mornings, each time I get to ask myself "idiot, why not stop?" And each time, I keep going.
A fully depleted, lighter, weaker me |
Monday, August 13, 2012
The Long Trail
Nikki Kimball Attempts Complete Vermont 273 Mile Long Trail Record
I love this trail and climbed much of the northern part when I was young. Good luck to her.
I love this trail and climbed much of the northern part when I was young. Good luck to her.
Friday, August 10, 2012
The Joy of Form, The Form of Joy
Thursday, August 2, 2012
The Mountain Wilderness Factor...Do I have it?
By Steve Peterson
From the irunfar.com site, just read an article on The Mountain Wilderness Factor by ultra runner Geof Roes.
Inspirational piece...could be a motivator for me. I have recently had a growing urge to run an ultra distance race in the near future, and seeing that I could be/am considered slow as hell on the road, this gives me hope that I do not have to get used to back of the pack.
Having grown up in a remote corner of the Northeast Kingdom of Vermont, I'm probably more comfortable in the woods than I am on the streets of the city (where I have lived for the last 15 years). Maybe it would help...we'll see.
From the irunfar.com site, just read an article on The Mountain Wilderness Factor by ultra runner Geof Roes.
Inspirational piece...could be a motivator for me. I have recently had a growing urge to run an ultra distance race in the near future, and seeing that I could be/am considered slow as hell on the road, this gives me hope that I do not have to get used to back of the pack.
Having grown up in a remote corner of the Northeast Kingdom of Vermont, I'm probably more comfortable in the woods than I am on the streets of the city (where I have lived for the last 15 years). Maybe it would help...we'll see.
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