Like the canyon

Good 40 minute tempo run in the 'mill.  Kept the pace between 6:45 and 6:55 with a 1/4 mile interval every mile at 6:20.  At 40 minutes slowed down to 8:20-8:30 or so for 20 more minutes to finish off the hour.  Ended up with 8.3 miles for the hour.  I guess that's the nice thing about being new to this running thing,  I think that's the furthest I've ever run in a hour. 

The knee hurt off and on, it's getting better for sure, but still feels a little loose.  

A little insight if you happen to be running on public treadmills.  If you get on one and it doesn't work, step over at least 2 treamills to start, don't get on the one right next to the broken 'mill, unless you get entertained watching people try to figure out why the treadmill won't start, then look at you like you know somehing about why it isn't working unitl you take off your headphone and say "ya, it's broken".  Happened 3 times in a hour, and at least 10 people fiddeled with the thing for like what seemed like a minute or so each. Hilarious.  

Easy 45 minutes, 8:30 pace. Treadmill again.

8 more treadmill miles. 8:15 base pace with 2.5 miles thrown in at 6:40 to keep it interesting. Starting to burn out pretty bad on the running in place thing.  To be on the safe side, I am even staying off the roads.  I really miss the trails.  Every day on the way to and from the gym I look up at Malan's peak (tonight bathed in alpenglow with beautiful clouds hanging on Mt Ogden) and think about how much I wish I could get back up there. Really enjoyed runnning that this winter, especially the night runs.  The last time I ran Malan's was at night and it was a solid double, running 100% of both laps for about 4400 vert in 5 miles.  That was almost 3 weeks ago.  Hopefully I haven't lost too much by running only flats.  I am thankful that my knee isnt so bad that it keeps me from running at all.  Seems like it's getting much better.  One week till the MRI, and the decision on surgery.   

Took my 10 year old skiing this morning.  We stuck to the groomer s and took it easy and my knee held up great! We got home around 1:00 and it was just too nice out to run inside, knee be darned. 

I had heard the BST north of 12^th street was pretty much snow free.   So it wasn’t long before I was lacing up the trail runners and grabbing a gel or two and a water bottle, and to the skeptical looks of my wife, heading apprehensively out the door for a trail run. 

I was so excited locking up the car I dropped my keys in the mud twice.  I was worried about my knee, but it has been feeling great, I just didn’t want to be reckless and reinjure what has started to heal.  Walking over to the trailhead I just kept repeating to myself, “take it easy, watch your footing, if it gets gnarly or snowy and you have any knee pain walk and head back.”   

I took off up a pretty good initial climb, snow free, mud free single track!! What a blast!!! Legs were just flying, I pasted 4 mountain bikers who were climbing the same hill.  When I got to the 1^st technical descent and through the rocky, rough flat spots I was defiantly running with the brakes on a little, just waiting for pain in my knee.  Nothing.  Everything felt great! My pace increased and I just motored along on REAL DIRT up, down, through the rocks and a little snow.  Felt like spring!  I was having so much fun I didn’t even notice I had been going out for over an hour.  The further north I went the more mud and snow to where I was running in pretty deep slushy snow continuously.    

Turned around and headed back.  Through all the climbs, snow and a little mud I didn’t break my run once.  Everything felt strong!   Best run I have had in recent memory.   After a few missed and wrong  turns, I finished up in 2:20.  On the knee, I got a little careless in the last ½ mile and caught a rock wrong with my toe and tweaked it a little, stupid. Other than that very little to no pain!!  YES! YES! YES! Still going to take it slow and I will be on the ‘mill most if not all of next week.