This week was the first Phidippides track workout of 2012; a two mile time trial followed by 2 x 800s. My time for the 2 miles was 11:21 with even mile splits.
Saturday we returned to the High Line Canal. It has been three months since we’ve run on the path. We all agreed it was nice to be back. After the hills and wind at the Rez last week, we were grateful for the soft, relatively level terrain.
I ran the first ten miles with Tim and Ken who were planning on only running ten miles. Six of those miles were at or below 7:00 / mile pace. The last ten miles were accompanied by Johnny, Joey, Marky and Dee Dee. I averaged 7:30 / mile, but the last few miles were a survival shuffle.
This was good mental training for the last four miles of the marathon when all my hope is shaken. With the glycogen stores all but depleted the body is searching for fuel. The mind must shut out the signals that are screaming “stop”. Then it negotiates a slower pace.
Sunday Jeff and I ran up Waterton Canyon. The fire road has recently re-opened. It had been closed to facilitate the dredging and silt removal from Strontia Springs Reservoir due to fallout from the Heyman Fire. No thanks to Terry Barton.
We ran past Susan Williams who was giving instructions to her charges. Jeff and I took a moment at the top to consider the dam which loomed three hundred feet above us. We wondered what would happen if it broke, sending several thousand tons of concrete and water toward us. How much time would we have? How far uphill could we run? Would we have enough time to get to higher ground?
The last time I had run up the canyon was 15 years ago and I was pushing my daughter in a jog stroller. It was a nice 12 mile run on a fine late winter day. Though the weather was threatening at the start, the skies cleared and it was sunny and pleasant when we returned to the trail head.
No comments:
Post a Comment