Training in Montana

5 TM miles at the Y before work. I really need to venture outside.

4 TM miles at the Y during lunch. I'm really digging the first season of Arrow. It's pretty much why I run at this point - to watch my shows.

I felt pretty good, and ran most of it at 7.0 pace which is an improvement for me. I know when I hit the roads it will bring my legs back, but my schedule has been tough and my desire to be cold even tougher.

5 TM miles at the Y before work. Only had to take 1 walk break, and it was short, then ended with a slow (10 min pace) last mile. Yesterday my last 1/4 mile was a 6:56 pace and it kept me sweating for 30 minutes afterwards, which is never fun when putting on a shirt and tie.

Did some situps and pushups afterwards.

5 TM miles at the Y during lunch, watched another episode and a bit of Arrow. Fun stuff, thinking about becoming a vigilante.

30 pushups and situps afterwards.

3 TM miles after work, followed by 30 situps and pushups then 3x10 weights. Tired arms after.

My Saturday long run on the TM. It was afternoon and I should've ventured outside but didn't. Ran 1/2 mile then walked at high incline while watching football. Got up to 15% incline for the last while. Also wore a 100 lb pack. I might be lying about the pack.

4 TM miles at the Y this morning, 1% incline which is a huge improvement over a month or two ago when I couldn't stomach any incline. Didn't run too fast, but I also didn't stop which is growth. I feel like such a winner.

Struggled to run 4 lunchtime TM miles at the Y.

Again struggled but ran 4 morning TM miles at the Y. Not enough time lately to go past 4 miles, hopefully soon.

Running is weird. I struggled the first 3 days of the week to run 4 miles, and today I thought about skipping the run as during a training cycle I have Thursday off. I decided that my short runs are helping my fitness return, so ran at lunch and it was simple. 7.1 mph at 1% incline for 3.5 or so, then bumped it to faster and finished running for a short while at a 10.9/5:30 pace. I couldn't sustain that speed for long, but if I were in a race I could have done 1/4 mile at that speed. Why? Last night I had T Bell - maybe my teenagers have been right all this time.

After yesterday's solid efforts my legs revolted this morning at the thought of running, so after a mile I upped the incline and walked. The last 1/2 mile at 15% incline and 3.5 mph which is a solid jaunt.

How weird. I ran outside Saturday morning and I forgot all about it. It was so cold my eyelids froze together and somehow I don't remember doing that. What's up with my brain?

I headed out about 8 am, 13F with a slight wind so -2F windchill. I love my new Asics jacket I bought this past Spring. It has stretchy sleeves with thumb holes, a quilted insulated wind-proof front and back, and butt cover in the back. I don't know why I haven't been running outside more this year as it made the run nice. Obviously was covered up, wore a neck gaiter and breathed through it most of the time, with just a slit for my eyes. I wore a thin-ish quarter zip shirt I also got last Spring and it was a perfect pair.

So nice to be outside, and 6 miles wasn't a thing at all. The TM has me stopping every now and then and I never once felt a need to stop. I need to get out more often. Plus, eyelash icicles are pretty darn cool.

1/2 mile during Boot Camp, 1/2 mile on the TM after. I'll be sore tomorrow, lots of leg exercises. Yum.

4 TM miles at the Y this morning. Last early morning practice for my 12 yr old, so now I'll have to wake up on my own to run in the mornings. Hmph.

Although, my 17 yr old tried to injure or kill himself and his brother yesterday morning by sliding off the road and rolling the car. Thankfully they're okay minus some bumps and bruises, but the car is totaled. I'll be their new chauffeur until we get another Subaru for them. My kids will now always drive a Subaru while they're living under my roof. Those things are safe! And I love my kids. Those are at least two things I know. Angels were watching over them yesterday for certain.

3 TM miles at Noon. I wasn't feeling it, so walked after 1 mile, then walked the entire 3rd mile, mostly with 10% incline while watching X-Files. I never really got into it in the 90s, what a great show. THEY'RE out there....

8 slow treadmill miles while watching a movie with my boys. Only at 6 mph/10 minute mile, but I just kept running. Longest run in months and longest tm run in a long while.

6 miles this morning outside from my house. What??? I honestly don't recall the last time I used a headlamp to run and I'm so glad I went out today. It was nice being on my familiar road and a famliar distance. I've missed the normalcy in my running. It's also so much harder for me to run on a TM with a solid pace. It may physically be easier but mentally it's much more challenging. Whether it's the constancy of pace with no undulations or the lack of visual and physical stimulation I'm not sure, but it's been mentally taxing this year. In past years it hasn't been as hard on the TM, but I've been in better shape. My guess is that if you're already in great shape from the roads and trails, TM runnin is just another tool in the tool box, but if you're out of shape the TM is a tough task master (TM = task master? Hmm..).

Anyhow, great to get out. 29F, 9 mph West wind, not too shabby. Love my new headlamp, a Black Diamond 130 lumen with variable light - press & hold the on/off button and it moves from highest light level to lowest light level, so I can conserve battery power when needed. Then if I touch the side of the light it bumps up to the highest level. Cool light.

4 TM miles at lunch. I think. I'm writing this on Thursday and don't recall how far I went.

4 miles...outside...in shorts! Wind in my face on the out so definitely needed a long sleeve shirt, took off the gloves on the way back and could've done with a short sleeve shirt. Ran a semi-fast 3rd mile, then a slow 4th mile to cool down.

AP: 8:02

4 miles outside again at lunch time! 52F with a 20 mph wind = short sleeve shirt, shorts, no gloves. And my headband was soaked with sweat afterwards. On January 28th. Gotta love the January thaw.

AP: 8:07