Saturday Long Run

Headed out to Crow Creek to meet up with the LU group for a long run, when I turned in to the parking lot I was a bit surprised to only see Phil there, apparently the Silvis crew either a) didn't get the memo, b) not bright enough to realize the weather conditions, or c) brave enough to weather the elements like hearty manly men, lol! I'm going to go for the latter, although in my case it probably is more like (b).

Phil was only running 6 this morning so I ran with him for the first 3 before he turned around. Even though Phil is still working his way back from an injury we started off at a good pace, and I needed a good long warm up this morning, my hamstrings were still tight from squats earlier in the week and deadlifts yesterday. It's still funny to me how an 18 mile run can leave me feeling fresh the next day but 5 sets of squats at a  third of the weight I used to hit can leave me walking funny for a week. I suppose its all about conditioning and adaptation, my legs will adjust to the new workload eventually.

After Phil turned around I picked up my pace a little, with the wind at my back it was actually not bad conditions to run in. That changed when I turned around and headed back into the wind. It wasn't bad in most spots, the path along Duck Creek is pretty well sheltered by the houses and trees but there where a couple spots where it opens up and the wind would smack me in the face and slow my pace a little. I picked up my pace where I could and made the second half of the run a kind of fartlek workout. On the way back I ran into Jay, he had spotted me as he was leaving the Y, he was on his way to join the Corn Belt Crew at Happy Joes and invited me to join but I was 11 miles in and almost done and wanted to get home for pancakes that I knew where waiting for me thanks to my lovely wife.

Even though the group didn't make it out today it was actually just what I needed, I haven't run a solo long run in awhile and it was good to know that I could cover some distance at a faster pace by my self. I tend to run faster with the group so being able to pick up alone gives me the confidence going into the QC Distance Classic in a couple weeks, I'm hoping to beat my pr from last year of 1:51.

Now its off to soccer games for the boys...

Until next time...Do today what others won't, so tomorrow you can do what others can't.