PM 1 - So it snowed about 1/2 inch last night which meant I got called into work early and messed up my morning run. But I got off early, so I guess it evens out. I bought some slip-on ice spikes awhile back for my running shoes and tried them out today. I figured that since I took myself out for a month about a year ago on ice it might be a good idea to have some handy for really bad days. But I totally underestimated the weight of these things. They're just a little stretchy rubber sole that slips over your shoe with teflon studs in them, and they felt pretty light at the time of purchase, but to run in them is like tying bricks to my feet. Which I think would be about equally as effective for ice traction but would cost about $20 less. I could feel my knees and shin muscles straining under the stress of lifting my feet... it was horrible and I ditched them about 6:00 into my run. The trail actually had decent traction and I managed 7:00 pace out for 5.3 and decided I was in the mood for something uptempo. I had 5:40 pace in mind but I was a little speed happy and went 5:35 which in the snow felt like 5:15-5:20. Tempo'd back to where I ditched my stupid ice spikes, about 4.1 ish. 22:47 total time. This is all guesswork, of course, I need to get out there and measure the course with a wheel, but I figure I'm within 10 seconds/mile, which is good enough for now. Oh, and the pain in my calf is completely gone today. Another victory for Josse's scraping techniques.... best money I ever spent was having her work on me.
| 