It will get easier

We did our first interval run of the season. I have to remind myself that they will get easier and hopefully faster as we do them. I wonder if there is any "FUN" way to do intervals. Hmmm.. sounds like a Internet search. I wonder how many hits I will find?

Mystery.... there are some vandals lurking around Walgreens in the morning and they only target Mike. Two mornings in a row Mike has returned to find "ice boulders" on his windshield. I believe "ice boulders" is a scientific name... someone mentioned they learned it on the Discovery Channel. Anyway... if we looked closely there were the initials HWMNBN scratch in it.

Not a good Monday

I love Wisconsin, I love Wisconsin, I love Wisconsin, I love Wisconsin.

So, not a great Monday run. First the dreaded time change. Although it wasn't too bad. Apparently Sandy had a hard time with it though since she didn't show. Or maybe she was getting back at me for taking her on a longer run than she really wanted on Saturday. Plus, leaving her to run alone the last 2 miles - even though it was her idea. Wendy and I broke "the code" with that one.

Two - the conditions.. maybe another reason why Sandy didn't show. (Did I mention that Sandy didn't show this morning?). The slushy ruts had turned rock hard OR it was sandy snow... not fun to run in. Hard on feet and ankles.

Three - Elyse lost one of her icestablizers and of course it was the first time she had worn them. I think it went off and went looking for Sandy (Did I mention that Sandy didn't show this morning?) since we tracked all the way back to Rusk Street and didn't find it. Hopefully Elyse will find it when the sun shows itself.

The good news is that I just check the weather and the weekend weather forecast is better than Elyse's sources. It is supposed to be seasonably warm not zero. One less thing to dread this week!

Dream of Running?

You gotta check out this video.

I had two thoughts:

1. I hope no one in our group has dreams like this about running. He is actually turning around to make some smart comment to the people running behind him, not biting at something chasing him.
2. Maybe it would be a GOOD thing to have dreams like this. Imagine all the calories you would burn while sleeping! I compare it to the envy I feel for bears who give birth while in hibernation. How cool would that be... go to sleep, wake up and you have a baby. No pain, just sleep.
   

Hmmmm

I did post on Wednesday, but I must not have saved it. So, here is what it said.

Ran with Mike today. I could tell he had a birthday recently. We talked a lot about cholesterol levels. He is getting old, all he wants to talk about is medical problems. We might have to push him out of the running group when he turns 40. It will become too depressing to run with him.

Steamboat running

I have been doing good while on vacation. I have run every day so far, although I think I will take tomorrow off. I have concentrated on speed not distance which makes it easier. I set the time for 30 minutes in the interval program. I am a wimp, setting it a the lowest level, but my pace is much faster than normal. I figure that a faster pace is good enough that I don't need to do it at ridiculous incline also. I do make sure I get 3.5 miles in. It is short enough that it doesn't seem like a major ordeal, but hard enough that I feel I have accomplished something.

Skiing has been great. Great weather.. sunny and warm. Today is supposed to be warm, but no sun and light snow.

First Pace Run

I thought I was not going to run today because of the cold weather and Jill was with me until Beerhatter said she was still going to. (Editors note: I was going to use her real name until this happened) Beerhater is a sneaky one. She has somehow set up her e-mail to come to us a day late. So, she "innocently" sent Jill and I e-mail last night saying she was not going to run. Of course, I didn't get it until this morning when I was dressed and ready to go. Oh, she will have a excuse/story but remember you can't trust beerhaters.

So, a change is past practices.... I have to THANK Jill for running today. It was truly a nice run. The 7.6 miles went very quickly despite the enormous amount of dread I was feeling at the start.

Weatherman wrong

Well I was happy to see that the weatherman was wrong. Only a little bit of snow and it was wet so easy to run on, although not easy to drive down my hill. Plus it was WARM and the wind hadn't started blowing yet. A nice run with Christy, Katie and Tom.

Tom wanted me to point out I was a little late. It is just his way of telling me that he was glad I was there.

I have been trying to find something to post and I did find something, but Mike is gone, so it won't be as funny. I will leave you wondering what it could be......

About Time.

I am only posting because Jill asked me too. She wanted the last post that was all about her to get bumped down. I was a little hurt it wasn't because she was waiting for the next version of inspired and humorous writing. I think I will get over it.

I have to admit that she is right. My last post was Feb 4th... way to long to be silent. So, I have run the past two days. Thursday was a little alarming, the wind was strong which reminded me of what we have to look forward to in the coming months. I tried to remember to "not fight it" which does help, but I would rather that it wasn't windy.

Today was not so windy and I feel spring in the air even though it wasn't that warm. I guess it is the lack of snow and ice. It is so nice to run with little fear of slipping or tripping.. Of course, Katie needs to worry about that whether or not there is snow on the ground!

Tomorrow is the first long run! Do I hear cheering?

Reliability

This post goes out to Jill.....

I missed your smiling face this morning, but I came to a realization. A TRUE friend will show up to run, even when it is -17 because they know the importance of following through on a commitment - like signing up on a poll saying you would be running. Being the older, wiser runner... I have learned a few things in the 6 years I have been on this earth longer than you. One of which is "It is is the little things that matter". Although I would argue that signing up on the running poll is NOT a little thing. Oh, I know, you will have reasons, excuses etc (My GOOD friend Mike told me to anticipate this). And I will listen with an open mind, but in my heart of hearts I will know the truth - it will be just as Mike told me it would be. He also told me that you will try your best to place the blame on him. However, being a good friend he warned me of this. The nail in the coffin of my friendship with you was Mike saying "I will always show up AND will buy you donuts at the Bakery". I know some will say that this is just the kind of thing the Devil would say. But again, Mike warned me about this and advised, "Put your fingers in your ears and sing Old MacDonald". Good advice from a true friend.

(just teasing - but I do expect donuts)

Groundhog Day

It seems that in honor of Groundhog Day Tom has peeped his head out of his burrow and decided to come out of running seclusion. Yes, that is right... TOM came running this morning. I almost slipped and fell, but that was because of ice, not because TOM blessed us with his presence. However, speaking of presence, his made it quite apparent that we need to add a rule to the morning running club by-law. We only have one by-law so far, but I know we are all getting old (especially Wendy since it is her BIRTHDAY TODAY) just to recap:

1. Must NOT hate BEER.

After running with TOM:

2. A runner (specifically TOM) is limited to one joke per run.

Now, if they were GOOD jokes we would not need this rule, but TOM's running seclusion has seriously impaired his judgement. Or maybe his judgement is skewed by the fact that he hangs out with fifth graders all day and they are a much easier crowd than a bunch of middle age people huffing and puffing up Habegger Street. I normally am an inclusive person and believe in NOT writing a rule to for one person, but since TOM didn't realize the significance of the fact that he had to explain a bunch line to us, I feel the need for bylaw #2 is justified.

And just in case you were wondering, it wasn't as cold as forecasted this morning and the wind didn't freeze our skin. I was expecting just the Cousins (since that was the only ones signed up on the poll - go figure) but Kwik Trip gal and of course TOM came too! We ran the old route to avoid ice covered ice walks so the slipping was at a minimum.

Don't forget: It is WENDY'S BIRTHDAY TODAY.

Tom

It is not just that I want to make Tom's Monday by not only mentioning him in the blog, but also doing so by name. As regular blog readers may remember my reference to a person "who shall not be named". Well, that is Tom. Today he earned being mentioned by name because he ran the last 5 miles with me. It was also the first time is almost a year that he ran with us. (That might be an exaggeration since I didn't look back at old blogs to confirm, but I think naming him by name is good enough. Of course, I was tempted to not be not so bold since the first thing he said to me when we were alone was "I am going to make the blog now, aren't I?". Tom apparently doesn't know the power of fake indifference, kinda like playing hard to get.

It was a nice day (FINALLY) for a run, despite a strong wind from the south. It was 24 degrees! Wow! AND at the end of the run the sun came out! Wonderful, Wonderful. We started out with a big group, Judy, Jill, Elyse, Sheri and Al with Larry walking. Tom and I went 1:40 and 10.86 miles.

Whining

I used to like the website The Complete Running Network, but I am afraid the thrill is gone. It is hard to stay in love with something that never changes. I have checked the website frequently hoping for a new article, new picture, new ANYTHING! But no, I have been repeatedly greeted by a picture of a rib cage since December 23rd. I may be a slow reader, but not THAT slow. (Mike - be quiet). I may be a loyal friend, but a friend can only take so much rejection!

On with the whining... actually this morning wasn't as cold as they had predicted... so I can't complaint. Well, I could but I am trying to take the high road. Plus it is Friday and that in itself puts me in a good mood!

Repeating

Do you ever feel like your are repeating yourself? Such as "Are you sick of the cold/winter yet?" How many times did I answer that question yesterday? And now I must write that we ran in sub zero temperatures yet again today. My fellow runners tell me that we ran in a lot of cold last year, but my memory thankfully fails me on that account.

I ran with the Cousins and Beer-Hater today. The thing of most note is that Mike was wondering when Jill would return. Beer-Hater was quick to point out "See! You do miss her!"

Beer-Hater was also wondering about my new favorite running item... the Seirus Masque. Like I said, I like it because it doesn't get wet and then frozen like fleece, is easy to breath through and my fellow runners can hear me talk (much to their dismay). The only negative is that you probably only want to wear it when it is very cold out aka - your breath freezes. It might be a little too warm otherwise.

Another cold morning

It seems like this is the coldest winter in a couple of years. It was -9 again this morning. I did learn (again) that if I wear enough on my top, then I don't struggle as much with cold hands. Today I wore 3 layers on top and my hands were never cold. I forgot to put another layer on my legs, so they were a little red when I got home.

I did try a new face mask today. I was really happy with it. It was easy to breath through, but didn't get all wet. It is one of those foamy kind. I was actually worried that it might be too hot... not today!