Long Run

Pump house today -- same view as
yesterday; but this time,
cannot even see the trail!

North Platte River Parkway

January 9, 2011

8.5 miles

almost 2 hours

I needed to start my long runs in preparation for the Collegiate Peaks 50 miler in May.  I did a 13 mile loop 2 weeks ago in Colorado; did an easy 4 miles on the treadmill last Sunday; and now feel the time is right to begin ramping up my long run mileage.  I wanted to do 10 miles today; however, the weather and conditions had other plans.



Yesterday it was in the forties, the trail was dry and visible.  Today, it was completely snowed over, freezing cold, snowing and windy -- all the fixin's for a long, long run.  Man!  If I had not told Don I was going to run, and if he had not invited Mark to run with us, I would have stayed nicely ensconed in my townhouse and run later on the treadmill.  But, I did tell Don; therefore, I had to go out or look like a wimp. 

Don picked me up in his 4 wheel drive truck and we met Mark at the same place where the new running group ran yesterday.  Mark ran BolderBoulder last year; but isn't a die-hard runner, so we told him 3 miles, that's all he'd have to run.  Not a problem. 

We headed out on the trail with the wind at our backs and going in the opposite direction than yesterday down the trail, trying to see where I went wrong last year and made this 3 mile loop 5 miles.  Easy, I missed a turn-off less than a mile into it and actually hit sidewalk instead of trail I believe.  Two or three times in the run Mark led us one way while I remember going another -- yup, trust me to turn a 3 mile run into 5. 

We had a nice easy pace, nothing hard since we were working hard enough with the 4+ inches of snow on the trail and the wind.  That cold, Wyoming wind.  Despite that, it was so nice to see our footprints the first in the new snow.  That is, until the sides of the trail were obliterated by it.  No idea where the trail edge was at all as Mark found out around mile 2.  Mark was on the far right of the trail and miss-judged where the edge was.  As he fell off the side of the trail, yup, you guessed it, he twisted his ankle.  Ouch.  We had rounded the turn and were now running into the wind and blowing snow - not a great place to have to slow to a walk; but there was no other option.

Mark stated we should run ahead; nothing doing man!  I don't leave injured people behind, even if they are former special forces type who have a tendency to John Wayne their injuries.  Mark walked for a bit and soon pronounced the pain bearable and we began to jog - walk - jog back to the start of our run. 



Once we made it back to the vehicles, I grabbed a fleece and put that on under my jacket, the wind was hitting me on the right hand side and chilling me pretty good that last bit.  We told Mark we were going to head out and try to give me a little more distance and he said he would continue with us.  What?!  Are you seriously crazy?  I prescribed ice, elevation, advil, a beer, a bag of doritos and salsa, an easy chair and football for him.  On second thought, Mark saw the wisdom of my advice and called it a day.  We called later to find out his ankle had swollen to the size of a softball. 

Back to the run.  This time in an attempt to escape the worst of the wind, Don and I headed down the trail as we did yesterday braving the wind in our faces now to have it at our backs on the return.  I quickly warmed up with the new layer on as we ran.  I did not want to tax Don too much knowing he has not run past 4 or so miles previously.  However, he was doing great and kept up with me right up until ... yup, you guessed it again, he hit the side of the trail and rolled his ankle at about mile 6.  Darn the luck!  Mark and Don said they learned something today ... never to run with Teri! 

Once again, just as Mark did, Don quickly stated his ankle was fine and insisted we continue.  Okay, how about just to the top of the hill and then we turn around?  That sounded just fine with Don.  We hit the 0.0 marker on the trail at the top of a rise in it -- why the mileage markers start here at this out-of-the-way place, I have no idea but they do -- and turned around for the final bit of the day.

It was cold, snowy, wintery conditions all the way around.  Despite that, both Don and I kept remarking on how great it was.  I slyly told him I think I have a running partner and he foolishly said, "okay!"  Eureka!  I have found my new F!  F was my training partner two years ago and was just as easy going as Don is.  F asked me to help him train for his first marathon.  After that, I asked him to train with me for my first 50 miler.  We'll see how far I can coax Don into running :)



At the 8.3 mile point, we were back at the truck; however, you know me, I had to run the extra two-tenths for an even 8.5 miles.  Afterwards, we quickly jumped into the truck and Don drove me back to my place so I could hop into a nice, hot, warm shower.  Just the thing after such a cold run!