well, recovery is going fairly well for me! I'm feeling good. Getting some spunk and bounciness back in my legs. I had the opportunity to trail run twice this week! yay! I had so much fun at both runs.
Friday I ran about 6miles in Steeles Creek Park in Bristol, TN. with Tom Murrell. I had never ran at Steeles Creek before and so this was just such a treat. It was a cool, crisp morning. Sun shining, no clouds in the sky! and The single track at this park is AWESOME. I was pleasantly surprised to find STEEP climbs.. and then several miles of rolling downhill on VERY runnable single track trails. You can really get going places on this stuff. Not too many rocks or roots just fluffy, dry leaves ( HELLO? where have you guys been since december?! I had missed the noise and sweet smell of dry leaves on the trail) it was great to run with Coach Murrell as well. Tom is the guy who keeps me honest on my recovery time when I run mile repeats:o) and keeps me from getting hyper and running where I'm not in control:o) I truly appreciate all his training advice. Tom if you are reading this: I DO listen and follow it! :o) Plus, he is just a cool guy to be around:o)
Then on sunday I met the IMTR's at Sundog Outfitter's in Damascus, Va. ( beth, jj, rick and tammy gray and myself) The plan was to drive to FS90 and run about 9 miles on some trails there. ( which is apart of the "tacky leprechaun" 24 miler the Iron Mtn Trail runners are hosting this coming weekend http://imtr.blogspot.com)
JJ had camped up on Mt rogers the night before and informed us that 1. a four wheel drive was necessary for us to get to FS90 and that 2. be prepared for deep snow.
GREAT I think beth and I had both imagined that it was going to be a nice warm spring-like run.. it didn't damped our spirits we laughed and joked around in the parking lot. Decided we'd take the FJ for it's maiden voyage in the deep snow, slush and mud.
We made it to about 1.5 away from the trail head and neither jj or I could get it up the mtn any further. it was SO slushy and slick and the snow was deep. So we all got out of the car and hiked/ran to the trail head.. YES there were MANY jokes about us running in the snow.. it seems that has been the name of the game since EVERY trail run together ( and race for that matter) since december. had a GREAT sunday afternoon running in the snow and spending time with my friends! The weather was beautiful and it was so nice to just be outside in the sunshine! I absolutely can't wait until this weekend it's going to be SO much fun!
Even the ride down the mtn back to Sundogs, the FJ was filled with chatter and laughter as we zoomed past icy mountainsides also covered with rhododendrens and mountain laurel. The sun setting in the distance. Nice close to a wonderful day.
I'm starting to get mentally prepared for Clark Zealand's race i'm running March 27th: Terrapin Mtn 50k. I know this is a hard course with tons of climbing. i think the "tacky Leprechaun" will be a wonderful training run for me( tons of climbing for that as well)
4 comments:
I do love running in the winter weather . . . but enough is enough! At least for us in eastern NC, the snow melts!!
Trust me . . . I promise . . . Spring is coming soon!!!
I swear I know Tommy Murrell . . . believe he was a neighbor of my best frind growing (Joe Tipton). Did Tom grow up in Kingsport (Ridgefields??)
BTW . . . I may make it to the Laurel Accent . . . we'll see.
Keep moving forward. In your case . . . rapidly!!
Frank!! for real on the snow.. I have ran in snow for months I would like some actual roots, rock (reggae) to run on for a change!! green grass and leaves on the trees would be nice-- no bears though.. I could go without seeing them and from the looks of one of the shelters off the IMT, some of them are up and moving around.
Tom is running Laurel Accent with me! I hope you can make it so you can meet him! he is such a cool person! ( great runner-- he'll probably beat me at the accent!)
great job @ umstead marathon Frank.. you seriously run so many races I really need to run!!!
What a Sunday we shared. We (other than JJ) all thought Sunday's run was going to be one without much snow, but boy were we wrong. The FJ did great and I was glad to be a part of its maiden voyage. Can't wait until Saturday to do it all over again and meet some new and exciting people. We are going to have a ball at Beth's St. Patty's Day run/bash.
I understand from the grapevine that Tom is going to come Saturday. I remember him telling me how nuts I was, so I hope that you are having an affect on him and he soon will be one of nutty ones running down a hopefully dirt path. Remind me to tell you Saturday of Tammy's and my experience once on the Steeles Creek trails. See you Saturday.
Post a Comment