Training in Montana

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