Go slow to go fast.

Haven't been running yet this week, kind of busy, and fine with recovering from a big weekend.

Just been doing p90X in the mornings this week, it feels good. 

My legs felt completely recovered and fine yesterday.  I'm looking forward to a nice mountain early tomorrow morning though...I'm going to get out and see if I can be running at 5:32 when the sun comes up....wow, its an early sunrise around here already. 

Oh, and here's a quick video of the Dirty Thirty last weekend...I think I"m hooked...I signed up for another 50K next month.  As you can see, there was a lot of walking going on the first mile or two of this race.  Next time I'm going to start in the front and see if I can get more running in...I took it super conservatively and started at the very back for my first 50K.  I'm glad I did, but I'm going to step it up a notch or two next time.

So I just went out for a nice and easy recovery run to ease back into running after the 50K last weekend.  First run of the week.

But as I was sucked in by the mountain, It turned out I couldn't let it get the better of me.  And after only a mile or two my legs were feeling as good or better than they've ever felt, so I decided I was running every step to the top of Green mtn.

And that's what I did.

 But let me tell you, that was no easy task.  Because first you run up very steep inclines for 6 straight miles, then the last quarter mile to the top is like 2+ foot boulder steps straight up for almost the entire 1/4 mile.  Its AWESOME to finish off a peak that way.  I was NOT going to let the mountain win today.  It turns out it was just over 300 feet of ascent in 1/4 mile.   When I hit the peak I was hands on knees heaving breaths like a mad-man.   The old dude on the peak must have thought I was crazy, but he didn't say anything.  I sat down for 2 and a half minutes to absorb the amazing views and catch my breath, then I headed home.

Took it really easy on the way down.

Total: 2:33:00 - 12.5 Miles - 12:27/mile pace - 4643 feet of ascent according to the garmin. (I likey!)  That's half of the climbing I did on saturday over 30 miles, and this time I ran the whole thing instead of hiking.  I think my goal next year is to run the entire dirty thirty course with no hiking.  None of it is as hard as steep or long as what I did today...its just 2.5 times more miles.

Legs are feeling great afterward, I didn't push the pace, the only really tough part was the quarter mile to the peak, otherwise just a cruise through the mountains, albeit a really steep one.

And I'm pretty stoked because its the first time I have run every step to the peak of Green, and it feels good to know I can do it.   Mountain running = good stuff.

Today's run reminded me that I don't have to be a complete mountain snob all the time. Don't get me wrong, mountain running is by far the best running, but todays run was a blast and a nice little change of pace.  Variety is good.

I woke up feeling really crappy this morning.  Totally unmotivated to do anything at all...it was weird.

So I hung out and watched movies with the kids all morning while Nan was at her workout, and I managed to muster the energy to do a session of Ab Ripper X.

It was a rainy morning and I felt like the weather.

Then I decided a barefoot run in the rain was in order.

And that did the trick nicely.  I couldn't help but feel better the minute I started splashing down the street through the puddles.  And with every step and every puddle splash I just kept feeling better...until a couple miles later I found myself charging up the steepest road I could find by my house.  Then I came back down, about a half mile, and couldn't resist charging up the  hill again.  I love running up hills.

Finished off with a loop around the neighborhood feeling fantastic physically and mentally.  Running is great medicine.  And I really like the barefoot variety at times...it feels so smooth, easy, natural and fun.  Pushing hard up the hills felt great, and at 2 or 3 different points in the run I was just cruising down half mile stretches of cool wet grass in 6 - 6:30  pace, which was also very fun.

Ran 7.5 miles in 1:01 - 8:11 pace - 853 Feet ascent - there were 2 pretty decent 200 foot hill climbs included.  It was a pretty easy pace the whole time except I pushed the pace on the uphills.