Seeking a better country...

7 am  Legacy to Glover, Back on Main.

It was a day out of Oklahoma!  Oh, what a beautiful morning....

The LPT section that is set back from the road was particularly transcendent.  I counted a dozen different calls from birds, plus frogs.  The sun was up, but not hot.  The company was great; Ash pedaled with me.  Fartleks over the wood bridge section, with a little girl dusting me off on her bike every so often.  If I happened to beat her to an imaginary finish line, she would say, "I'm not racing, Dad."  By the turnaround we were thirsty, but needed a mile or so to make it to the skate park.  One water fountain was flowing, thank goodness.  

In the last couple miles, I picked it up, but left my partner far behind.  She was calling out for me to wait, so I did, and ran the last mile in slow.   

Mountain Dew recovery, and Happy Mother's Day.  

7 am  Ricks Creek and back with a Parrish Lane kicker.  Ash came along.

7 am  Yesterday I pried apart the garmin.  The battery looked fine, but there were corroded contacts.  I removed all the powder, cleaned things up and soldered a jumper between the posts.  I added a couple rubber bands to hold the two halves of the garmin together, and charged it.  It seemed to charge normally.  This morning I took it on the run/ride with Ash.  Everything worked fine.  I guess some water or sweat got in and caused some trouble.  The mode button still doesn't work, but I can at least see pace, distance, time and elevation.  I need to glue the halves back together with some bathroom silicone, just in case I need to get in there again.  That, and stay out of the water.  I like the sprinklers and hoses and whatnot, but with that garmin, it's a no-no any more.  So anyway, it was good for a run-time up to an hour.  I wouldn't trust it for a marathon just yet.  

 The bad news about having it is now I know for certain how slow I'm going.

I spent an hour looking at stuff on the blog last night, and at this point I a flabbergasted I ran a 3:00 marathon at huntsville last fall.  I have an idea what I need to do to run a 2:52-2:58 marathon, but I'm not sure if I'm willing to pay the price.  I think it's as simple as miles per week.  If I was consistently in the 55-65 mpw range during July and August, that would be a good portent for a sub 3 marathon in September.  

Currently, 7 mile runs are no problem.  I would need to do 9-10 mile runs 6 days a week.  It doesn't seem like that big of a deal, but it stacks up.  With family, church, work and a broad lack of discipline,  it's easy to miss a day or two a week.  We've got a few major things on the horizon, and I don't know if it will be worth the sacrifice during those months.  I read so many motivating entries from runners of all stripes on here, and I know there are dozens and dozens of people who are equivalently busy that work harder.  Still sussing this out.

That stupid bird started again this morning at 5:15.  I resisted getting up until much later.  Close the window, lose the cool, fresh air, also lose the bird noise.  Quite a conundrum.

I finally rolled out with Ash at 7.  I made her run a mile, then she rode along with me.  I wore the crocs w/out socks, and was BETRAYED!!  By mile 3, a blister was rubbing on the rivet, so off came the crocs.  I tentatively made my way home barefoot.  Shoes tomorrow, and maybe an earlier start. 

6:45 am  After the blisters yesterday, I went back to the tried and true, 675 mile Mirages.  They smell like an old running shoe, but they lovingly envelop my feet.  Ash came with to Freedom Hills.  Ah, Freedom Hills, tucked up close to the foothills, granting shade until 9 a.m.  Ash played a bit while I ran a couple laps.  Fearing she would be late for school, and knowing a donut stop remained on the itinerary, I pried her off the playground equipment.  For the 2 miles to the store I ran hard; sweat even made an appearance.  Not the damp kind, but the droplets that run off your face kind.  

Then we came home.  Ash ate her donut in the driveway so she wouldn't have to share.  Then she asked me if there was any on her face.  It was pretty funny. 

7 am  Another morning meander with Ash.  57 degrees.  Plants like May.

The peacock and donkey we ran past make the bird outside my window pale in comparison.  I'm glad they aren't my neighbors. 

7:15 am.  I spent the week jealous of everyone running Ogden.  I wasn't ready for a marathon, but kind of wished to be there anyway.  Running events, especially the big ones, are a lot of fun.  I left right at the marathon start time.  I headed to BST, and when I looked up at the hills, I decided to run the zigzag trail up to the clouds.  There was a fair bit of walking.  I reached the clouds, and watched them funneling up the canyon.  Soon after, it started raining earnestly.  Within minutes I was soaked.  I only made it to the greasewoods before it seemed prudent to turn around.  Temps had dropped into the 40's and the rain was unrelenting.  Incidentally, did you know that trails become small streams in heavy rain?  My feet were completely soaked, and I began to notice my damp shirt.  I quickly removed it, hoping no damage was done.  Alas, I left it on too long.  I was gone 80 minutes, and the mileage is a bit of a guess.  I definitely wasn't doing 10 minute miles on the up, but it probably averaged out.  By the time I made it back to the road, I splashed through every puddle and gutter in sight.  Once you are soaked, you are soaked.  By the end my jealousy had morphed into pity for everybody slogging through 26 miles of wet roads and clothes.  Fun times.