Weather - 26 degrees, windy, gray skies. Ran 3 loops around the Lake of the Woods prairie trails for the Riddle Run. The winds were brisk, so it seemed cold, and there was a 1/4 inch of snow on the trails. The final loop I paired up with a woman named Nancy, and we ran a 8:15 pace for the 4 miles, and we had a good conversation, she told me about her various marathons, and it was nice to listen about her race in Honolulu as we trudged through the snow. I planned to run the 3 loops in a comfortable time of 1:45, and I came in at 1:43. When I finished the race I ate my prize - a homemade cream filled cupcake - the best one I have tasted! It was a solid long run, nothing hard, just a moderate steady pace at an average of 8:35/mile. I don't feel tired, or sore, so I think my next long run will be 14 miles, either next week, or the week after. I am planning to run the Lovin' the Hills 15 mile trail race in Louisville, KY on February 16th. That distance should fit nicely for my current fitness level. As the race name implies, there are a lot of hills to cover, so I am not sure how I will tolerate it, since my training is mainly on the flats. #71 | 