Friday, February 29, 2008
Tuesday, February 26, 2008
Mile Repeats
I have spring fever. As much as I am trying so very hard not to absolutely hate winter, I still don't like it very much. I run outside everyday, I run upon trails, road, snowshoes, the season doesn't matter. -40F oh well, get out and do it anyway. I try ice fishing now and again, but don't really care for it. I have taken up snowboarding with my boys. This is the first winter than I haven't gained 10 or more pounds and found myself very depressed. With all the upheavel I have had going on this winter, thankfully I am not depressed or fat, as usual. It could have been more of a nightmare had I been fat and depressed because of my weight.
Back to spring fever. Today I decided to run mile repeats. I realized this past weekend that McNaughton 100 is closing in on me so I pulled out last years training and saw that I had begun to run mile repeats in February. Well, February it is.
There is a 3 mile stretch of asphalt near my home, relatively flat and straight. I measured out 1 mile and placed a branch near each end. After work today Topaz and I ran an easy three mile warmup around the neighborhood, as we were practically attacked by the neighborhood dogs and bad dog owners who actually yelled at me when I told them we had a dog ordinance, and then attacked the mile repeats.
1st mile: 734
2nd mile: 731
3rd mile: 729
4th mile: 730
5th mile: 728
Pretty darn consistant. Topaz beat me on every mile! He knew when we were reaching the end of the mile. He would begin to run tight circles around my feet, I don't know, trying to herd me and keep me from turning around and doing it again? I told him he better not take a nip out of my calve! Crazy pup. I love him.
I was exhausted. After a 3 mile jog home I was ready for a hot shower, a hot fireplace and a good book!
Tonight is my one TV night of the week. I'll be chillin' on the couch, watching The Biggest Loser.
Back to spring fever. Today I decided to run mile repeats. I realized this past weekend that McNaughton 100 is closing in on me so I pulled out last years training and saw that I had begun to run mile repeats in February. Well, February it is.
There is a 3 mile stretch of asphalt near my home, relatively flat and straight. I measured out 1 mile and placed a branch near each end. After work today Topaz and I ran an easy three mile warmup around the neighborhood, as we were practically attacked by the neighborhood dogs and bad dog owners who actually yelled at me when I told them we had a dog ordinance, and then attacked the mile repeats.
1st mile: 734
2nd mile: 731
3rd mile: 729
4th mile: 730
5th mile: 728
Pretty darn consistant. Topaz beat me on every mile! He knew when we were reaching the end of the mile. He would begin to run tight circles around my feet, I don't know, trying to herd me and keep me from turning around and doing it again? I told him he better not take a nip out of my calve! Crazy pup. I love him.
I was exhausted. After a 3 mile jog home I was ready for a hot shower, a hot fireplace and a good book!
Tonight is my one TV night of the week. I'll be chillin' on the couch, watching The Biggest Loser.
Saturday, February 02, 2008
New Explorations off My Well-Travelled Trail
Today the *Friends of the Sherburne Wildlife Refuge* hosted Winterfest, in the Refuge. The Sherburne Wildlife Refuge is the 38,000 acre wild woods that I enjoy running through each and every day. Winterfest was held today from 10-2. They offer sled rides, guided walks through the refuge, brats and cake, bald eagles from the Raptor Center. I would have been interested in the video on animal droppings, but I just wouldn't have been able to stand seeing all of the visitors in *my* running area.
Topaz and I left before sunrise so that I wouldn't have to put up with the public. I LOVE running in the refuge, I LOVE that barely a soul every disturbs me out there, I LOVE that the bridges have been out all winter on the Blue Hill Trail so that nobody bothers me. I LOVE running solo, with only my pup to talk with.
Today I decided to run down to the lake, then investigate further down the never travelled fire path, or whatever type of pathway it is. I'm not sure what it is. I looked at my watch and ran along the path, being careful not to turn an ankle in the uneven frozen snow. I figured I'd run 2 hours down the path and turn around and hit Blue Hill on the way back to the car. I wanted to run a slow easy 4 hours. I didn't wear my snowshoes, they are still a crumpled broken mess from the Northwoods Snowshoe Marathon and I am in no great rush to snowshoe anyhow, so haven't sent them off to be fixed.
As the sun rose and the sky became lighter I could tell that it was going to be a cloudy, kind of hazy day. There was no wind, it was quite warm, 25F when I left home with a high today of 30. I could hear animals in the woods. In the darkness, it kind of freaks me out.
I didn't know where the path would lead me to and every once in a while Topaz would bolt off, doing his herding then, then circle back to me. It was still quite dark and I was wondering what it was he was herding. I heard pileated woodpeckers nearby and they were so loud I just knew there was a big group of them in a stand of oak nearby, feeding. I hoped they would still be around on my return.
Daylight arrived and all around me were dense oak stands. I was sure I was still in the Refuge, as I hadn't crossed any roads and I didn't see any sign of homesteads. It was kind of a weird feeling. I knew I wasn't lost, but I didn't know where I was, either.
I have been running in the Refuge for 5 years, but had never been down this pathway before. There were many off-shoot paths that went to the left and the right of the pathway that I was running upon. I will have to investigate further tomorrow. Eventually I came to a Refuge sign "Native Prarie Grass..Seeded 1996". At least I knew I was still in the Refuge! It was so quiet. Not a person or a sign of a human anywhere. No human prints, only animals.
Topaz spotted two coyotes. He began to tear after them but they were too far ahead of him for him to catch up. Eventually he looped back to me. I don't know what he would do if he were to get close to them. His hair was up on his neck, he didn't like the smell of them.
I looked at my watch and almost two hours had passed. As the path went through a big stretch of meadow, I told Topaz we'd go to the end of the meadow and turn around. Well, at the end of the meadow was a big hill that I couldn't see over. I had to explore further. What was over the hill? It looked like a deep ravine.
We ran along and holy moly! A big metal bridge crossing a wide frozen river. I couldn't believe it. There were Refuge signs on the riverbank, it wasn't closed to entry. I gingerly went through the bridgework and over the river. How exciting! It seems silly, but I really was excited to find this bridge and river. I had NO idea it was out there. Topaz and I explored a bit more, then turned around and headed back where we started.
By the time we approached the car the DNR had placed out parking signs labeled "WINTERFEST". I left the lot as quickly as possible!
I'm anxious to get back out tomorrow to investigate the trail and river further.
(My spell check doesn't seem to be working anymore)
Topaz and I left before sunrise so that I wouldn't have to put up with the public. I LOVE running in the refuge, I LOVE that barely a soul every disturbs me out there, I LOVE that the bridges have been out all winter on the Blue Hill Trail so that nobody bothers me. I LOVE running solo, with only my pup to talk with.
Today I decided to run down to the lake, then investigate further down the never travelled fire path, or whatever type of pathway it is. I'm not sure what it is. I looked at my watch and ran along the path, being careful not to turn an ankle in the uneven frozen snow. I figured I'd run 2 hours down the path and turn around and hit Blue Hill on the way back to the car. I wanted to run a slow easy 4 hours. I didn't wear my snowshoes, they are still a crumpled broken mess from the Northwoods Snowshoe Marathon and I am in no great rush to snowshoe anyhow, so haven't sent them off to be fixed.
As the sun rose and the sky became lighter I could tell that it was going to be a cloudy, kind of hazy day. There was no wind, it was quite warm, 25F when I left home with a high today of 30. I could hear animals in the woods. In the darkness, it kind of freaks me out.
I didn't know where the path would lead me to and every once in a while Topaz would bolt off, doing his herding then, then circle back to me. It was still quite dark and I was wondering what it was he was herding. I heard pileated woodpeckers nearby and they were so loud I just knew there was a big group of them in a stand of oak nearby, feeding. I hoped they would still be around on my return.
Daylight arrived and all around me were dense oak stands. I was sure I was still in the Refuge, as I hadn't crossed any roads and I didn't see any sign of homesteads. It was kind of a weird feeling. I knew I wasn't lost, but I didn't know where I was, either.
I have been running in the Refuge for 5 years, but had never been down this pathway before. There were many off-shoot paths that went to the left and the right of the pathway that I was running upon. I will have to investigate further tomorrow. Eventually I came to a Refuge sign "Native Prarie Grass..Seeded 1996". At least I knew I was still in the Refuge! It was so quiet. Not a person or a sign of a human anywhere. No human prints, only animals.
Topaz spotted two coyotes. He began to tear after them but they were too far ahead of him for him to catch up. Eventually he looped back to me. I don't know what he would do if he were to get close to them. His hair was up on his neck, he didn't like the smell of them.
I looked at my watch and almost two hours had passed. As the path went through a big stretch of meadow, I told Topaz we'd go to the end of the meadow and turn around. Well, at the end of the meadow was a big hill that I couldn't see over. I had to explore further. What was over the hill? It looked like a deep ravine.
We ran along and holy moly! A big metal bridge crossing a wide frozen river. I couldn't believe it. There were Refuge signs on the riverbank, it wasn't closed to entry. I gingerly went through the bridgework and over the river. How exciting! It seems silly, but I really was excited to find this bridge and river. I had NO idea it was out there. Topaz and I explored a bit more, then turned around and headed back where we started.
By the time we approached the car the DNR had placed out parking signs labeled "WINTERFEST". I left the lot as quickly as possible!
I'm anxious to get back out tomorrow to investigate the trail and river further.
(My spell check doesn't seem to be working anymore)
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