faster with age

     Ran 10 miles this morning. I ran up around the reservoir for the first time this winter. The snow is still quite deep so I had to run on snowmobile tracks. It was cold but sunny and gorgeous. The 6 1/2 miles that I ran on the snow I tried to keep the pace just under 8:00 which was probably around 30 sec per min slower than the same effort on pavement. I stopped for about 5 min at the turnaround point and just enjoyed the quiet. I had only intended to go about 8 miles but it was so nice I went 10. 7:49 overall ave pace.

      Ran this morning on the same route as yesterday just turned around a little earlier to cut it to 7 miles. Kept the pace real easy. Running on the snowmobile trail I was going almost a full minute slower pace [well over 9 min] than on the pavement. Overall AP 8:41.

     Went 15 miles on the bike this morning. There was about 2 inches of fresh snow and still coming down. The temps have been in the negatives the past couple of nights so the ground was cold enough that every bit was sticking to the roads. The snow had pretty much all melted from the gravel roads  before this last cold snap so the traction was good in the light powdery snow until I hit a spot where there was still some solid ice under the powder that made it so slick that when I hit it I went down so quick I didn't have time to get my cleats unclipped  from the pedal and went right down on my side still attached to the pedals. It was so slick I could hardly stand on it when I got up. I have usually ridden my bike a couple times a week all winter long and I usually get through the winter without going down or maybe once at the most. This year I've only been out about 4 or 5 times on the snow and I've already gone down. I've got a pretty sore elbow but other than that I came out ok. Other than the crash it was an enjoyable ride. I always love to get out when it's snowing as long as there's no wind.

     Went out for 7 miles about half on the snowmobile trail again. Today the temps had been much warmer plus there was a lot of new snow covering the trail. On one 1/4 mile section there's no snowmobile tracks but it has been cold enough that the frozen snow has held me up. Today on that stretch I was going in about 6 inches. I just kept the pace easy any a couple of those miles were over 10 min pace. My pavement miles were around 8:20 pace. 

     It was a really nice afternoon for a run [other than the fact that I had eaten a large lunch just before heading out]. It was close to 40 deg so I went with the shorts. I ran the first mile in 7:24 then averaged 6:41 for the next 5 miles. AP 6:48

     7 very easy just under 9 min pace.