(Ice on the twigs I have arranged in the decorative planter on the deck) More snowfall lead to paths & sidewalks again being blanketed. Which, in addition to the drifting meant it was to much to run through in most places. But, that did not keep me from running. It did however effect my ambition. Knowing that I would enjoy myself once I finally took the first strides & a good group of ladies waiting to hear about my next run(s) pushed me out the door.
A sense of adventure rivaled any qualms I had about making new routes while running on the very edge (gutter, for those of us who ride) of the road. All in all the limited amount of motorists I encountered obliged my efforts & moved aside. I followed the rules, running opposite the direction of the traffic so that they could see me approaching and I them. This served me well as the huff & puff of my breathing through the neck-warmer and the layering of hat & hood tend to muffle a lot of my hearing.
Strong pains in my lower abdomen that I assume to be gas since the pain tends to travel knocked me out at mile 2 of both of my 7mile routes this week. This has happened before. Like the snowy paths it was to much to run through most of the time. Slowing to a walk for a few minutes allowed the air to shift into a more comfortable spot so that I was able to pick up the pace again. Argh.
Whenever I hit a rough spot in training I tell myself that this is the best I might feel during a portion of an Ironman and that I need to learn to work through certain types of pain so that I can be prepared. Yes, I realize how silly this could potentially sound, but I never claimed to be entirely sensible now did I?
Friday was my chance to relish the opportunity I had to shed some layers & breathe bare faced in 30 degree (above!!!) weather. It hadn't hit me just how much weight I have been carrying in clothing on those sub-zero days until I was able to run without some of it. It was so freeing. I'm curious if it will make me stronger come summer when I am able to run in much, much lighter gear.
I was encouraged each time I arrived home and hopped online to check home many miles I had gone. Turns out weaving my way through the city finding what clear paths & roadside I could amounts to more mileage. :) I found a decent way to add another 2miles to my scenic 5mile loop. Something that will come in handy when I continue upping my weekly miles in preparation for the Fargo Marathon.
Soaking in a warm bath is one of the guilty pleasures I indulge in after a long run. Especially in the winter. Staring at my feet at the end of the tub I noticed a rough patch on the top of each of my ankles. Almost like a callus. I still haven't figured out why I have them, but let me say that taking a pumice stone to them is not exactly the answer. Hence the athletic tape. Lotion is a better approach.
Our board bag for the trip to Japan (only a few weeks away) arrived last week and of course pulling Betty out to make sure she fits in the bag with my husbands board (which is taller then I am) had me longing for the slopes. Since we had a buy 1, get 1 discount & knew that getting replacement gear for anything would be incredibly difficult abroad we decided to make an impromptu trip out to Andes Tower Hills yesterday morning to make sure everything was tuned up and in working order.
The 20-30 above temperatures over the weekend actually made the roads worse. Settling fog made everything icy. After totaling our other car in a storm on our way home from Bridger Bowl last winter,road conditions like this have made us both more unsettled then they used to. So we only stayed for a few hours before returning home. Seeing several cars in the ditch confirmed that we had made the right call.Betty is getting old, eventually she'll have to be replaced, but it's like riding a bike every time I strap the board on for the first time each year. It's comfortingly familiar.
I enjoyed the 20 or so rides I got in. Andes is home turf for me when it comes to riding & it was great to share that with My Beloved. Yesterday I realized though that all of the trips I have been spoiled with in the mountains have made me disenchanted with runs that last under 2minutes from getting off the lift to the bottom of the hill. I tried going in the trees a few times hoping for some adventure, but while the snow may have looked like powder it was as heavy as a brick due to the melting & weighed my board down so much that I eventually came to a halt.
Next week Jeremy & I will be spending a few days over new-years in Bismarck. At some point we'll make our way to the small resort nearby & hopefully help teach a friend who is new to snowboarding.
I am hoping to get at least 10miles of running in before we leave, but we'll see what happens. I just might have to bring my gear with me and enjoy some new scenery on a run up there.
So far I am at 45miles for December (woohoo!!). I'm looking to finish off at 55 for the month. No rest day tomorrow. :) Should be fun!
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