Merry Christmas

One is a runner when your spouse shops for your Xmas gifts at On the Run. My haul included Mizuno gloves, Brooks tights, and The Stick for muscles. I also received a back order slip for a nano ipod, so Santa must have decided that I've been good. Whether or not I will enjoy running with the ipod remains to be seen, I'm used to the single minded clarity of the run and the rhythm of my shoes.

I could have used the Stick two days ago after my long run. While the 30k race in Sugarland on December 11 filled me with confidence for the upcoming marathon, my training run on Friday achieved the exact opposite effect. My objective was to run 22 steady miles on the soft Seabrook trails. I ended up running 20.8 miles in 3hrs 34min, but with 3 walking periods late in the run. I did have a strong finishing kick, like in Sugarland. Nevertheless, I was pretty sore and the left inside of my knee is still sore after two days of rest. This may be a reoccurance of a problem I had in the summer.

Long runs certainly are much more variable in performance than shorter ones. I will chalk this one up to the amount of training I had been doing before hand, both pushing my yoga and running capability hard at the same time. The good news is that it is time to cut back on the long runs and concentrate on speed and sharpness as we taper to the January 25 marathon.

Receiving an unexpected word of encouragement in the middle of a tough run is always welcomed. A fellow runner gave me a 'good job' about two thirds the way through my difficult Friday run. I have seen her running strongly at the high school track on some Tuesday nights, so I am sure she is ready to rock in January. I will also always remember Colleen De Reuck's coach, Bobby McGee, shouting out encouragement to us runners at about the halfway point of the Bolder Boulder this year. Having heard him speak the day before, I recognized him and responded 'thanks Bobby' for the strength and energy boost.