Seeking a better country...

What a great run!  I planned on my usual route on BST.  I felt lazy, so my son dropped me up after the 1st mile ascent.  After one mile, I turned right instead of left, and meandered around on the mountainside for a couple miles.  Game trails would appear and recede.  I mostly avoided snow, scared up a few birds, and found a nicely scoured animal skull still attached to vertebra on a flat.  Getting back down to the typical path to cross the canyon was sketchy.  I guess the rednecks have less to do now, as there were lots up shooting skeet and targets.  I'm glad none of them took a shot at me.  Temps were around 40 on an overcast day, with brilliant trees shimmering yellow in the valley.

Work tomorrow, where 9 people have quit or been laid off in the last week.  It's a nice week for a short week.  Happy Thanksgiving. 

Fixed the incline and broke it again.  Rev B tomorrow.

I was unfaithful to my ailing treadmill.  My son wanted to shoot hoops, so I drove him over and jumped on at the rec center while I watched.  The tv at home is much larger with better selection of shows.  I forgot my headphones, so I listened to my heavy breathing.  After running a varying incline program for 3 miles, I threw in a couple mile repeats, at 7:03 and 6:44, then cooled down.  I'm glad I don't spend much time there any more.  

My birthday is tomorrow.  I become a masters runner.  I feel old. 

What a difference a year makes.  364 days ago, I ran this race in 11 degree weather.  Today it was 55.

After a wild birthday yesterday, and three overnight interruptions from Jack, I awoke feeling anything but refreshed.  Entertaining thoughts of bagging this "fun" run, I solemnly prepared my oatmeal.  After finishing, my running ancestors whispered, "Eat more food" so I had a chaser of Cocoa Puffs.  The start is 1.5 miles from my house, so I set out 20 minutes early to get in a bit of a warmup, and have time to visit the bathroom.  Nothing felt right in the warmup; I stopped and walked thrice.

I found my mom and sister at the start.  We visited while the bureaucrats sorted out the same day registrants.  15 minutes late, the race began.  

2 miles down, followed by 2 miles of rollers, then 2 miles up with a nice little downhill finish, complete with twists and turns.  I felt good for the first 2 miles.  A highlight: while drafting on a guy with headphones, he turned and blew a snot rocket on me.  Miles 3-4 include 6-8 turns through neighborhoods.  I must have run some fantastic tangents, as I measured the course at 6.15.  (6.17 last year)

Just like last year, I was feeling like taking a break around mile 5.  Somehow, I soldiered on.  I ran from semaphore to semaphore, convincing myself not to walk.  I didn't have a mantra, but Radiohead's "15 Step" came at a good time...the cadence is perfect.  I'd run myself into no-man's land around mile 3, and I didn't want to see any of those runners again, especially snot rocket-man.  In the last mile, the course rejoins the 12-15 minute pace 5k racers.  I spent a mile dodging and weaving around these determined competitors.  I rolled across the line in 41 minutes flat, surprised at a 45 sec. improvement on last year's time.  It must have been the warmer day and the lucky baby blue crocs.

splits:  6:27 (6:29),  6:30 (6:45),  6:44 (6:51), 6:45 (6:42), 6:52 (6:59), 6:51 (6:53), 0:52 (1:04)  --the kick was better because there was no ice to navigate

HAPPY THANKSGIVING!! 

The results are just posted...Age group win, 8th overall.  There were some timing screwups, cuz I don't think three guys ran sub-30 minute 10ks.   

5 hours yard work cross training followed by BST out and back around sunset.  Shorts and long sleeve t with gloves was perfect...until the sun went down.  I was glad to get home and have a hot shower.  I couldn't feel my arms.