Ramping Up

After what felt like a slow start, I’m finally starting to feel like a runner again. My training is going according to plan and that plan has me peaking just in time for Mohican. This means that all other races before that will need to be sacrificed and run as training run. This includes Mud Puppies  (52k) this coming weekend, Pick Your Poison (50k) two weeks later and I’m considering running the 50k at Sulphur Springs, although it might be a bit too close to Mohican. Ideally, I would like to find something in early May. I’m on the waiting list for the Bear Mountain 50 Miler, after waiting one day too long to sign up.

Muddy Trails at Sulphur Springs

Last weekend, I drove up to Ancaster with Chris and we did a couple of loop of what we think is the new Sulphur Springs course, although we seem to be missing a couple of km. The hill at the start/finish is just ridiculous, basically impossible to run up by mere mortals. Give it a few loops, and it might also be difficult to run down! What a quad buster! The course was really wet and muddy but we had a good time. There was a lot of horse tracks (and horse shit). They really tore up the trails. That Saturday was the nicest day yet this Spring and we really took advantage of it. According to my Garmin, we ran somewhere around 36km in about 5h15min. All numbers are approximate because of operator errors at various points during the day.

This week is going well, my legs are feeling good. My fitness seems fine. My right ankle/Achilles are holding up. The only clouds on the horizon are (literally) the Saturday forecast, with really nasty weather being predicted. Mud Puppies will hold up to its name. I just hope that the river can be crossed without getting my balls frozen by the frigid water. That should be fun.

This brings me to my closing topic. Fun. For the last 10 days, I’ve really been enjoying my running. If I’m truly honest, last year was difficult for me. I don’t know why, but after Susitna I had a hard time getting back into my training. I went through the motions, I had some good days, but with the exception of Limberlost, I didn’t have much fun. Some of them were good, but few were great. Lately, I’ve been feeling a difference when I train. I feel more connected to my running. I feel like I’m flowing better. An hour run feels like a short run again, not something to get over with.

If only it could get warmer out there...