Told myself that 4-5 miles would be enough to get out the door, but turned that into a 7.5 mile Diamond Rock loop once I got the wheels going. It's always easier to persuade yourself out with an easy run. Grease the wheels and suddenly something longer doesn't seem out of the question. Storm clouds were looming all morning. In fact, the office area was dense with moisture... and the complaints of several coworkers. In timely fashion, the rain started with 10 minutes of the start of my run and soon turned into a heavy downpour. Thunder and lightning added to the ominous feeling of the run, but nothing would affect my slow and steady pace. I trudged up Howell Rd. with my eyes down to keep the rain out and slowly made it to the top. By the time I was out of the trails and on my way back down this same hill the sun was starting to peak out. It might seem weird to admit, but I'd prefer weather like this. I don't mind the wind and rain as it cools me off. And the sun shining at the finish of a decent run just compounds the high I already feel. Wouldn't have it any other way.

7.4 miles in 70 minutes

Managing Fatigue

I headed out during lunch for the 7.4 miles up Diamond Rock with Becky and Raph. The past few times we've done this run it usually takes approx 64-70 minutes to finish. We did the reverse route, although it seems like it's become the normal route these days. It has a pretty decent hill about 15 minutes into the run, followed by a gradual downhill and then another challenging climb.

I got to thinking about runs that I really feel good about lately. Tuesday's interval workout, oddly, was one of those workouts. Other than that, I don't really seem to remember too many runs where I can feel a solid pop in my stride and really feel comfortable at a 7-8 minute pace. Granted, I've been putting in some hard strength work during the week. Granted, I don't have too many interval or tempo sessions under my belt during this training cycle. But I'm still logging 30-45 miles per week, which is more than I've accumulated in recent memory. Hopefully, when I start tapering I'll start to feel some of that fitness I've hopefully been building lately. I got a glimpse of it on Tuesday and I just want a little more.

7.4 miles in 64 minutes.

Reverse Diamond Rock

Reverse Diamond Rock today with Frank, Chris, and Raph. The link follows the route we took, but doesn't reflect accurate time. I think we finished this run in just under 65 minutes. Didn't tackle the Howell Rd hill like I said I would always do, but going up slowly doesn't necessarily translate into less pain. In fact, it just drags it out. Funny how the combination of people's competitive running personalities and the Diamond Rock route tend to stretch out the group. There is a good 2-3 mile uphill stretch (with a minor stretch of downhill in the middle) up to the very top of the mountain if you run the Reverse Diamond Rock version. It's very easy for some to run their own pace, while others try to conquer it warrior style. Some people just have that need to lead on runs, even if they can't keep the pace on the uphill portions, which is evident by the immediate progression forwards upon cresting said hill. I'm not sure which category I fall into. Maybe I consider myself laid back only because I lack the fitness conquer hills the fastest. Or maybe I'm OK with others taking the lead if it is that important to them.

7.4 miles in about 65 minutes

Washed away

Today I headed out with Paul and Frank for a reverse Diamond Rock run. The forecast in the Philadelphia region (and most of the mid-Atlantic, for that matter) has been rain, rain, and more rain. We are expected to get somewhere in the vicinity of 3 inches, although I've heard rumors that other areas are expected to get more. It's pretty crazy when you think about all that water just hanging suspended in the sky, waiting for the right conditions to dump all over the earth. We headed up the hill on Howell Rd. against the current that was flowing down, in some places it was fast enough to generate some whitewater in the gullies on the side of the road. Wild.

I thought about the sporadic mud and creeks from Tuesday and how it was better to jump in feet first, rather than spend an entire run trying to avoid it. Well there was no avoiding the mud today. At the top of the hill we turned onto a portion of the Horseshoe Trail and there was definitely no shortage of mud or leaves. I thought about the beers and wings I had last night. I thought about the beer I used to drink in college and the beer I drink now. How could one case of beer logically cost 11 dollars? Incredible. Now the craft beers in the region are charging over 40 for a case. I thought about how we would drink from a keg one night and then show up to 6AM practice on the river in the middle of winter not even a half step slower. Now, I can't even have 2-3 beers without feeling a little sluggish the next morning. But running has a habit of washing those impurities away, both physically and mentally. Get through the first 10 minutes of a run and I will always feel looser and more energetic than I did 10 minutes before heading out the door. Every run might not be a PR, but you can always find your groove if you look hard enough. I was content to hang back from Paul and just let my mind wander as I meandered through the woods. It's a soothing act of meditation.

A quick jump in the curbside stream and at least my shoes were cleaned off before heading back inside. About 7.4 miles in 66:48.

Diamond Rock

Headed out with a few people from work today on a route I've done once or twice before. Initially I had thought it was in a completely different direction, but it still contained a mega hill, which is one of the reasons I thought of doing it in the first place. The route is about 7.4 miles and we finished in about 64 minutes. It was untimed, however, since I split my watch at one point and accidentally stopped it.

Started off with Becky, Brian P, and Frank. Made it to the bottom of the hill and finished in about 4 minutes, 11 seconds, with a brief pause to re-tie a sneaker. It was pretty chilly out but this hill really jacks up your core temperature in a hurry. At the top of the hill, the route transitions onto the Horseshoe trail. I was wearing a pair of Asics that are about 2 years old and the treads are almost completely worn out, so it was cautious but steady going for me. The trail ends and the route progresses down the same hill that we initially climbed in the beginning. I tried to keep my cadence the same, but elongating my strides, but there simply was no easy way about it. I could tell my quads were going to be sore this afternoon. The hill is steep enough so that you would always be accelerating, no matter how fast you were going.

True to prediction, my quads were pretty sore after the run, but I think it was more because of my choice in footwear rather than the downhill. I left a pair of sneakers outside after a weekend run with Brigid and the snow we got earlier this week soaked them through. Can you imagine? Friday it's 70 and sunny and Monday we have snow and 20 degree weather.