I just felt like running

Ran from home to Delano Park, did two laps, and then back home.  Pushed it pretty hard at times.    I think my new Garmin is wrapped under a tree in Guntersville so I don't know exactly how fast.   The nieces were sick so we delayed our visit since Elliott is so susceptible to infection.

Did some mtn mist 50k training.  Parked at aid station #5 (MonteSano Blvd crossing) and ran on the road to the Fearn Dr. Crossing (aid #3).  Ran from there on the course back to aid #5 (8 miles).  It is the rockiest section of trail I've ever run on.  I really have to take what the trail gives me and be tentative in parts and then open up my stride when I can.  You really have to let loose to do well and have no thoughts of sprained ankles or a skull ramming against a rock.  I wasn't there today.  Maybe race day.

I got to the water line climb and did one repeat on the lower section (up to the waterfall).   To give an idea of how tentative I am on rocky downhills, I ran up faster (6:56) then the return trip down (7:26).  I felt good overall though and only got a little bloody from some bushes.

I have no idea how far I really went.  This was a snowshoe hike/run with my brother in the Underdown recreation area in Wisconsin.  Very fun.  Temp was 15-20F with light snow.   Track was a mix of hilly packed single track,  some section of virgin fresh powder,  lake , and bog crossings.  It took us a little less than 3 hours.    It was all through hardwood forests with the exception of the lakes.    Part of it was on the Ice Age National Scenic Trail.

The lake crossing was slushy which was a little disconcerting since the lake was 30 ft deep.  My brother assured me that it was solid and it was only seepage from the water below.   We made it across with no problems but I didn't run that section. 

It was 7F and breezy today in Wisconsin and I didn't feel like runinng out side.  I went with my mom to the Riverside Athletic Club in Merrill.  They have a great setup - the treadmills face a huge window which overlooks the Wisconsin River (still open and flowing fast) and downtown Merrill with its attractive Lincoln County Courthouse clock tower.   I put on my running playlist on my ipod and after a 0.5 mile warmup at 6mph  I cranked it up to marathon pace - 9mph (6:39/mile).  I ran 6 miles at that pace.   2 miles at 9.2 mph (6:30), 1 mile at 10 mph (6:00), and another mile at 9.5 mph (6:17).  some slowerstuff in between and as cooldown .  The treadmill went into cooldown mode after 60 minutes and I had to restart - annoying!   A great workout and by far the longest I've subjected myself to a treadmill.  Good music and good scenery help quite a bit.  

Had a really nice snowshoe run.(1:02:40)    Same trail I went on earlier but this time I ran the entire way.  Very challenging- lots of ups and downs.      I didn't fall until late in the run in what is called the "Bumpy Bog"-  well named.   Nice head first fall into soft powder.

It was 17F but I got warm really fast.