Seeking a better country...

A bit cold this morning...17 degrees.  I didn't warm up again until 2 in the afternoon.  Ave pace was 7:47, on the roads to Jennie P.  Ipod died after 15 minutes.  When I put it by the car heater, the battery still had 2/3's charge. 

The only redeeming quality of this run was that it was a run.  The view & temperature were very sub-optimal.

Ah, Saturday.  Spent 5 hours getting ready for and taking a family picture.  We finished by 3, giving me enough daylifght remaining for a fairly ambitious run to Farmington canyon.  The roads were icy, until I got to the dirt roads on C-ville blvd.  These were just snowy.  The view from the mountains sure beats that from the valley.  In many areas, I was the first to track up the new snow.  I saw the eagles and hawks coming into the canyons to roost for the night.  Slipped and fell 2x.  No damage done.  I made it to Farmington Canyon just as the sun was setting in the far southwest.  Ran a mile plus on pavement back to the gas station for a donut and ride home.  8:43 average for the entire run, which isn't too bad, considering the care I had to take on downhills in the snow.  The hot bath afterward felt amazing...I sure got cold waiting for a ride home.

6 miles @ 8 min pace on the treadmill.  MNF and a Jazz game were on, so it was tolerable.  The treadmill says I'm slower than on the road.  Seems strange.  If I was working that hard on the road, I'd be around a 7 minute pace.  

Shoveled driveways for 5 hours.  This has to count for something, since it made me too tired to run.

Another round on the treadmill.  Boring.  Mind-numbing.  At least Live Free or Die Hard was on FX.  It's nice the wreck center has cable.  Running on the treadmill is the only chance I get to watch Jazz games.  

 It's funny how many people get on and off on the adjacent machines.  I probably ran next to 10 people in 50 minutes.  The best part of this run was the cooldown.   

Shoveled driveways for 3 hours.  This has to count for something

Shoveled driveways for 5 hours.  This has to count for something.

7 treadmill miles.  Niners won, Jazz lost.  What a boring, drag.  I guess it's incrementally better than icy streets.  60 minutes.  I reiterate my belief that the treadmill shorts me on pace.

Ran my usual trail run along the fireroads.  They are all snow covered.  It was early enough that things were still frozen, and traction was fine.  Crunching through the snow on less traveled portions of the trail was a great ankle workout.  I was sluggish until the return on the flat roads.  60 minutes to complete the run, which is a piss-poor pace. 

Treadmilling during MNF.  It's becoming a tradition, for only 2 more weeks.  I got my groove on for the last couple miles.  I hate being cheated by the treadmill on pace and distance.  HR at 155 for the last bit, after a relaxing warmup.  Speed ranged from 6 to 8.2 mph.

Treadmill, Christmas Eve.  The gym was packed.  I'm getting used to this treadmill thing.  Really hot inside felt better than really cold outside.  Afterward, I froze my butt off riding the 4-wheeler in the mountains, so it ends up even.  

More Monday Night Football treadmill miles...Bears were leading the Vikings.  Ugh.  It's 15 degrees outside, not to mention black dark...  I've got the rest of the week off from work, so I'm looking forward to some daytime outside runs.

 I registered for the Ogden Marathon on Christmas Eve.  I can't decide if I should pony up the $140 for the winter race series to get ready. 

Six more dreadmill miles in a mostly empty gym.  Did some hill repeats while sledding at the ATV park as well.  No injuries to report from sledding.  

 New year running goals...Well, I am registered for the Ogden Marathon.  I still need to chart my course and figure out where I buried my fire and will.  I hope hope hope that the way I feel on the treadmill doesn't have anything to do with the road times.

 Happy new year.