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Thursday, January 13, 2011

01/13/11: Lucky number 13

Thursday the 13th.

Just doesn't have the same ring as Friday the 13th, does it?

I had my stuff laid out last night, to run in the out-of-doors this morning...all the layers...all the cold weather gear.

But after "sleeping on it", I decided the streets still aren't cleaned, and I didn't feel like running through slushy snow (feels like running in sand) with my calf feeling the way it has this week. A "solid" treadmill (grumble, grumble) was probably more what I needed.

(sigh)

After a 5 minute warm up, I ran intervals (2 min run/1 min walk) until I reached the 3 miles called for on the schedule today.

I love running outside, but running inside is one of those necessary evils sometimes...and I figured I'd better learn to become one with the treadmill...if I'm going to make it through the season.

And I think I accomplished just that. I learned today (via some playing around with speed), that the faster I go, the easier it is to run on the darned thing. I've been running much slower than my outside pace, and it's been kicking my butt. Well h*ll.....when I run outside it's harder for me to run slow. So why wouldn't it be the same inside?

And it was.

With the increased speed I spent less energy pushing UP and off the treadmill, and more moving FORWARD. Makes all the difference in the world.

Yay!!

This running hobby, addiction, whatever you want to call it....of mine has been quite the journey. I'm learning everything (probably the hard way) as I go along. What works here, what doesn't work there. That, alone, make it all the more fun.

Crazy, huh?

(3.11 miles, 10:37 average pace)

5 comments:

C2Iowa said...

Crazy? Dont you like the ring of that? I think that it rings better than Friday the 13th.

TMs have their place - your weather and ours are much the same. If I could run, though I hate running inside, it would most likely be indoors.

Spring is not that far off - 67 more days; unless you live in NE or IA -- then its more like 87.

Nej said...

@ C2Iowa - I embrace the crazy these days....it's one constant in my life! :-)

I want to be one of those crazy people who run outside every day....no matter the weather.

I mean, I love winter and the cold as much as the next person (actually, probably more)....but the treadmill won this morning....merely because there are less layers to wear, so less laundry to do.

OK, I'm kidding about the laundry, but it WAS the smart choice today. Smart = boring. :-)

87 and counting......

Fran said...

Funny I have the same, I find it hard to slow down outside while I find it hard to run fast on the treadmill. Maybe next time I'm on the darn thing I should tried to run faster (at least those miles are gone sooner :)

Nej said...

@ Fran - the faster they are gone, the better...some days! :-) :-)

Detroit Runner(Jeff) said...

I don't think it's crazy at all. Keep up the good work.