Saturday, February 24, 2007

Spring Training -- already?

Today was the kick off for spring and early summer marathon training.

February 24th??? While a winter storm warning is in effect, currently dumping about 10" of snow here?

As we say in Minnesota "yeah, you betcha".

Actually, I should clarify: as MINNESOTANS would say, "Yeah, you betcha".

Those of us originally from Wisconsin would probably say "are you nuts"?

Nuts we are it would seem, because at 8:00 am this morning, throngs of the hearty were bundling up and heading out to the trails to start the process of getting back to some level of fitness and speed.

I ran with my running club this morning -- it was really nice to see some old familiar faces that I haven't seen since the end of Twin Cities Marathon (TCM) training last fall.

I ran with Gary and Dori -- we plodded along for 6.2 miles. Once we got out on to the roads, it wasn't so bad outside. I bought some rubber spikes at Bed, Bath and Beyond that attached to the bottom of my running shoes. The extra grip from the spikes really helped me feel more confident about my footing on the snow and ice.

It was amazing how tough the run was though: partly because it was cold and blowy running in to the wind, partly because I have not run 6 miles in a very long time, but mostly because I am much bulker than I was last fall.

Sigh.

I did face the music last Monday when I saw the doc and got on the scale. The number wasn't pretty, but I'm ready to start tackling the bulk so I can be ready for warmer weather and less clothes. (That is the one really nice thing about living here and having winter: you can hide a lot underneath sweaters.)

When we were out on the trails, we ran past my TCM training partners Marcia and Mary. I'll be training with them again starting next week. We have a number of people that are trying to get in to Grandma's 1/2 marathon that are planning to train "unofficially" this time around. We'll try to follow a similar routine that the official group will be using, but because a few of the people aren't members of the health club, they are trying to avoid the (hefty non-member) cost for joining the official group.

After the run, Dori and I went to breakfast with a couple of other friends: Sarah and MaryJo. It was great to sit and catch up.

I was very happy to spend time with my friends, just shooting the breeze, enjoying each others company and having some very relaxed fun.

Hubby and I are now hunkered down in the house with the cats all around us. The snow is really coming down and we are very grateful that we have no where we have to be but here -- the house is warm and dry -- we're happy, we're healthy and we are very content.

Hurrah.

2 comments:

Mmem said...

So you are doing TCM again, wow!

Major props on getting out there in snow & ice, wow again!

I love being hunkered down at home in the snow when I don't have to be anywhere, so enjoy your snow day:-) Way to get that run in first:-)

Nat said...

Congrats on GMA's! I hope to hear something next week. Keep your fingers crossed!