December 18 - December 24

Weekly Totals ~ Time: 7:30:35 Distance: 52.01 mi. Vertical: 6,414 ft.
Weekly Averages ~ Time: 1:04:22 Distance: 7.43 mi. Vertical: 916 ft.


Another great week of running. I love the end of the year. The air is always cold, the trails are generally empty, and for whatever reason I get into running, again. Not that I really ever vacated the running scene, but there has been a noted nonchalance attitude when it comes to training, but that's slowly starting to drift away like a deserted ship at sea. I'm just really getting into the ebb and flow of structured training. I've had two solid weeks of 50+ miles, and although I'm going to take a 'rest week' next week I'm confident that I've retained enough fitness from last season to start training a little bit faster. I'm super cautious, and sometimes I think it's a weakness, but in-the-end my cautiousness is paralleled with patience. I'm starting to tack-on a few nags, mainly a left Achilles soreness, and right leg shin splint, so the drastically reduced mileage next week should take care of the healing. Hopefully I can get out the last two shoe reviews (Pearl Izumi Kissaki and Skechers GoRun), next week. I've been so caught up in the high of running that the computer screen is a distraction that can wait.

Sunday, December 18 ~ Home Loop + 5 miles
Time: 1:18:32 Distance: 10.17 mi. Vertical: 576 ft. Base Run...and the 'running high' continues. I don't know what's going on but times are dropping and heart rate is staying the same. Mad props to my body. I think I'll treat it to a beer, now.

Monday, December 19 ~ Squak Mtn.
Time: 1:43:56 Distance: 9.39 mi. Vertical: 3,386 ft. Base Run. Gave the shoes an early Christmas gift (new bright red shoe laces) and unleashed them for an easy double ascent of Squak Mtn. Glided up to West Peak first, descended to May Valley, and pushed up the Fire Road to Central Peak descending quickly down to SR 900 and the car.

Tuesday, December 20 ~ Rest/Off Day
Had some very centered shin pain from yesterday's ascents and descents on Squak Mtn. Decided to take an off day today.

Wednesday, December 21 ~ Coal Creek YMCA X 2 (Run #1)
Time: 0:55:53 Distance: 6.46 mi. Vertical: 647 ft. Base Run. Took yesterday off because my shin had some centralized soreness from Monday's mountain run on Squak Mtn. Today, the shin felt much better, but there's still a slight annoyance. I cut the run at 6.5, will probably run tonight, and I'll stay off the mountains for the rest of the week.

Wednesday, December 21 ~ Home Loop (Run #2)
Time: 0:25:08 Distance: 3.18 mi. Vertical: 89 ft. Recovery Run. Crappy cotton gloves didn't cut it, tonight. My hands were cold enough they hurt. Lesson learned. Compared to this morning's run, tonight's run felt like the running high I've been on. Good to be back, ha? Shin is feeling better with each run. Saucony Hattori's are magic.

Thursday, December 22 ~ Lake Young 'Counter-clockwise' (Run #1)
Time: 1:04:37 Distance: 9.10 mi. Vertical: 741 ft. Tempo Run. What started out turned as an easy base run turned quickly into an enjoyable tempo run. Started with an 8 min/mi and finished with an earned 6:17 min/mi. Positively, the last couple of miles are entirely uphill and they turned out to be the fastest. It was a good mostly negative split day.

Thursday, December 22 ~ Home Loop (Run #2)
Time: 0:25:22 Distance: 3.15 mi. Vertical: 96 ft. Recovery Run. A very slippery frost has rested invisibly on top of the asphalt and sidewalks, but with some quick steps I avoided falling. Flailing arms and legs mimicking a scene from "Singing in the Rain" hopefully brought a smile to onlookers. Everything felt great, tonight.

Friday, December 23 ~ Lake Youngs 'Clockwise'
Time: 1:37:08 Distance: 10.56 mi. Vertical: 878 ft. Recovery Run. Two loops, two days; I think tomorrow I'll run somewhere else. Great run in the cool (but not cold) wet atmosphere of the Pac-Northwest. Legs were slow moving, but Debbie O. and Brock O. kept the conversation up and eventually I felt like I was fluidly running and not forcing my legs to move. Good choice on the recovery pace.