Running:Frigid Five 10k, 6.2 mi in 51:03, pace 8:13. An inch of slippy-slidey fresh snow on top of already-icy road surface, four loops inside the Minnesota State Fair Grounds. It was a difficult course to be sure, and I may have run a PW (personal worst) 10k, but so did everyone else and I feel terrific. Life is good, endorphins rule!
The snow absorbed all bounce from every footfall, and also allowed my shoes to slip backward at every toe-off. It felt like two steps forward and one backward. What excellent conditioning! And the snow was falling as we ran; that’s a magical Minnesota thrill of its own, running through falling snow. Winter at its best, 21 degrees all morning. Eagle Momma and Sweet Pea enjoyed the 5k.
I used the Nike Miler shoes again; their aggressive tread just packed itself full of snow today and didn’t seem to help much, but the low-ventilation toes kept my feet dry and warm. I met another runner who intended to run in shoes with steel studs, designed specifically for snow and ice, but I suspect the snow was probably a little too thick to let those studs reach the ice below. Three light shirts under the wind jacket was the right garb for me; zipped up going into the 4-mph wind, unzipped going away. Tights and knee warmers below; most people wore running slacks but I did see some tights and even a few bare legs.
Myeloma:
Tomorrow I will see the oncologist and find out if the 28-day course of thalidomide made any difference. I expect to be taking it for at least a couple of months more.
Ah, yes, isn't running on snowy paths a treat? I wanted to do 12, ended up with just 10 and I want to know how you managed to get to 8ish pace...I was lucky to get a couple of 9:30s in there!!
ReplyDeleteWanted to go to the MDRA pizza feed too, but things just kind of kept me from it...oh well.