This is my last week before I begin an official training schedule.  It was an up and down week temperature-wise and with how I felt.  Overall a good week with a nice bump pack to where my mileage should have been!

Monday was my day off! It is a little weird but Monday’s are a nice day to “sleep-in”.  On the weekends I usually get up earlier than on a weekday since I don’t have to be at work usually until 9.

Tuesday was -4 which was a bit of a shock after being able to run in some nicer temps for a few days. The wind chill was at -21 for the 4.1 mile run downtown.  I finished in 33:50 the wind and ice made for slow going.

Wednesday was -4 again, but this time there was no wind! I ran through Powderhorn Park, but they don’t really plow their sidewalks very well so I decided not to do my usual run around the park.  I forgot to wear my earband underneath my balackalva again and my ears got a little cold.  Finished the 3.5 mile run in 30:07.  The parts through the park was in several inches of snow.

Thursday I was really tired and I looked at the weather on my phone (it was actually above 0) and rolled right back over and slept some more.  A Twitter friend made me feel guilty for not running because I had inspired her to run several times this week outside and it was actually a pretty nice morning out.  I felt a little bad but the sleep also felt really good!

Friday A beautiful sunny morning. I ran a somewhat different route taking 26th St from my house to Lake of the Isles then around the Isles to the Greenway and home. It ended up being 7 miles which I ran in 55:23. The footing was really good around the lake and mostly ok on the Greenway but pretty bad on 26th St. I detoured off the sidewalk and ran for awhile on the actual lake for a bit. It was pretty easy running – I ran on the groomed portion between two classic x-c skiing tracks – so it was smooth. It was sunny and 16 at the start at 7 with wind chill. On the way back it was into the wind and I was a little under dressed for that portion.

Saturday was a Polar Bear Run.  We met at Lake Nokomis Community Center and headed East along the Minnehaha Parkway.  The Parkway still had plenty of very icy spots along it.  We ran to the Minnehaha Falls and then the Get in Gear 10k loop up the West River Parkway across Lake St bridge and down East River Parkway to the Ford Bridge.  This stretch was pretty clear without a lot of ice or snow.  It got a little warm for part of it.  The temp was around 33 with a 24 wind chill so the wind was pretty bitey when we turned back towards Nokomis.  Some in the group were extending the run by taking a lap around the lake, I had thought about it but by the time we got back to the cars and I saw that we had already gone 9.5 miles I decided to be done! It was 9.6 on the Garmin in 1:18:59 so a pretty decent long run given the conditions.  I only almost fell once right after a turn.

Sunday we met at Minnehaha Falls again this time running towards Fort Snelling across the 5 Bridge back up the East River Parkway to Ford Bridge and then a loop through the VA.  It was a pretty solid run with our pace gradually picking up throughout the whole run.  We saw a turkey at Minnehaha and then 6 deer crossing the frozen Mississippi River.  It was sunny and 15 without any wind!! For the vast majority of the run the trails were clear.  We completed the run in 59:21.

Total Mileage –

Running – 30.9 miles

Biking – 6 miles  (outside on Thursday night and Friday morning)

Last Year

Mileage:
Run: 25.6 Miles
Bike: 11.0 Miles

This week last year I started training for the Earth Day Half Marathon. I also shared a funny map that Garmin produced after running along the Mississippi River. The Garmin software actually thought I was in the river! This week’s Foto Friday was a picture from the frozen Minnehaha Falls. We haven’t been down there yet this winter.