Haven't updated this in a while. In fact, a lot has happened since the last update. A new job, a trip to Miami, FL, a new man, and a trip to Boston, all affecting my training, but in a positive way. With traveling and the holidays, I wasn't sure how much running I would be able to log. The first two weeks in December were 20 some miler weeks, with a really warm night run in Miami, FL. I had a down week of 13 miles while in Boston and got a lot of rest while there. My long run of 6 miles there was run on the New England countryside and filled with snow. While in Boston, I visited the Boston Marathon finish line, a source of inspiration for the upcoming training year.
This past week was another 20 or so miles, with what was my best run in a long time occurring last night (9.6 miles in 80 minutes). Accompanied by the new man, we ran Sand Run in the dark with a light snowfall coming down. I felt strong for most of the run and the only trouble was the Portage Trail hill at the end. I've been starting runs at my apartment more often to try and improve on that steep incline.
As for my new job, it's going to involve a long commute. This week the rec center is closed so I am going to have to do more night runs in the nearby neighborhoods. However, when the rec opens back up, I will find myself becoming better acquainted with the treadmill. So far, we have been getting along quite well. I've been able to hold paces longer on the machine that I previously struggled with in the past. Good music and focusing on form has kept our friendship alive. I also had two good tempo runs on the indoor track, focusing more on feeling than on pace. Overall, I feel like I'm saving up some good miles for spring marathon training while continuing to learn how to not sweat the small stuff.
