Hills for breakfast, hold the gnats

Objective: slow & easy

7:30 AM:  32F, snowing and blowing (15-20 mph, gusting to 30). Snow wasn't sticking to streets at first, traction was an issue after mile 5.

I would have liked to make this a much longer run, but winter got me on this one.  I could have used some goggles and an extra layer on the legs.  Painfully cold hands, painful stinging of the snow on my face and in my eyes, etc.  I was pleased to see, however, that my legs felt pretty good and my energy level was good until I started getting cold. 

I'm still grinning like an idiot over this...

...the gold bumps on the shoe are the bottoms of golden wings. :D

Objective: easy & slow

5:15 AM: Mid 30's F, snowing hard through mile 4, wind 5-10 mph, thin layer of snow on roads, building steadily throughout run (by mile 2, wished I had Yaktrax on)

20 min strength & stretching

Another run in sloppy conditions.  I couldn't help getting a little stiff in the neck and shoulders, trying to keep the snow off my face and eyes.  I wonder what it would be like to run with my big, warm ski goggles and a balaclava.   :)  At least my legs did feel really good today.  But I became tired a little early, possibly because of traction issues. 

This week's mileage will be a bit low.  It was scheduled for a recovery week, even before I had to cut Sunday's run short.  Thu-Sat will be part of a mini-taper for a half-m on Sunday.  I can't figure out what planet my brain was on when I decided to race two weekends in a row.  Maybe the half will just be a training run. I'll see how I feel. 

I am starting to think about fall marathons.  It would be nice to find one that is not too challenging (in case I am still after my BQ), not too hard to get to, possibly a good destination for a family vacation.  It would be so easy to just do Portland again, but a bit boring as I've run it 3 times already.  It could be nice to redeem myself there, as my last Portland was disastrous, or it could be just plain uninspiring.  It sounds crazy, but I am thinking about Billings.  I have cousins in Montana whom I would love to see, and we could perhaps go to Yellowstone.   My other thought is So. Calif., with a trip to Disneyland for my DD.  I'd love to hear other ideas! ???

Objective: 1 easy, remainder moderate.  Recovery week & mini-taper.

5:15 AM: 35F,  heavy precip. - rain mixed with wet snow.  Wind 5-10 mph except in some open spaces; seemed like ~20 mph around Eagle Lake.  Traction: good in 1st 3 miles, after that it became part solid snow, mostly slush swamp.  Muck-o-meter on high.

Miserable weather!  We seem to be in this pattern where it rains all night and starts snowing 2 minutes before my run.  I don't know whether the rest of the country gets a lot of this wet snow, but it is horrible: huge (1+ inch across), wet flakes. And when they hit skin, clothing, or shoes, they stick.  They collect on the ground and make a deep layer of slush.  I'm so tired of being wet and cold.  Dry snow with colder air would be far easier.

Not that I would have relished being out in this weather even longer, but I am frustrated by my  late start today, especially because I did manage to drag myself out of bed on time.  But my favorite cat, the Cat Who Must Be Obeyed, was badly injured in a fight yesterday.  I underestimated the time it would take for me to get his needs taken care of this morning. His swelling is down and he is eating well, so I'm sure he'll be ok, but he is quite beat up.  I wish he would consent to be an indoor cat like the other two, but he needs a bigger world.  For now he is willing to stay inside, thank goodness.

Now, where did I put that silver lining to this mucky morning?  ...Oh yes, here it is: no treadmill!!!  :)

Objective: easy to moderate, w/ 2 mi @ MP.  Recovery week and mini-taper.

5:05 AM:  36F, wind 10 mph, dry!!! :D

15 min. abs and upper body only

Traction, oh sweet traction!  After spending the past 3 runs huddled over in the driving rain and snow, I felt like a turtle coming out of its shell.   It's still plenty cold, but it's funny how that's quite manageable when one is not being plastered with wet snow. 

I just had a look at the course map for Sunday's Half-M.  Whoa.  I've run this before; the course has changed!   The start and finish are in a completely different location, and the course covers some new terrain.   Hm.  I'm going to have to get my brain wrapped around that.  You'll be all right.  Change is good. It's probably an improvement.  It's an adventure. You'll be just fine.

Objective: 4 easy, 1 MP, remainder easy. Mini-tapering for Sunday half-m.

5:15 AM:  40F, wind 9-12 mph, occasional light showers. Very pleasant.

I really love these shoes, the Brooks ST3.  It has taken me a while to figure this out (or maybe taken a while to arrive at this point of view), but I like running better when I can feel the street a little more. I don't like a lot of cushy bulk around my foot and I seem to run a lot better without it.  Whether I would feel that way for 26.2 miles is another question.  I'm going to find out about half of that question on Sunday as I try out these shoes for a longer race.  Vocabulary word for the day, proprioception.

ETA: Today I crossed paths with my old running buddy (ran with her for a little while about 2.5 years ago.  We ran together for a couple of miles.  It was  nice to see her.