Week Ending 1/4: Getting back into it

Monday: 3.75 miles.. 30:37. Core strength routine. 

Tuesday: Dynamic Strength/Stability routine. No running. 

Wednesday: Rest

Thursday: 2.75 miles. 22:42. New years. 

Friday: 3.25 miles. 25:34. Felt a bit sore. This was my first day running twice in a row in some time. 

Saturday: 3.75 miles. 30:18. Felt Flat after the two prior days. Still got in a core and arm workout. 

Later in the day,  G and I met some friends up at Wild River State Park for some cross country skiing. This was my first time skiing in a few years, and I could tell. My form was a bit off, and I got pretty sore really quickly. Even so, it felt great to be back on skis again. 

It was G’s first time on XC skis, and despite some issues getting the skis on (as sometimes happens with new skis/boots) she seemed to get the hang of it impressively quickly. It left her sore, too, of course, but she seemed to enjoy it by and large. 

The conditions themselves were far from ideal. There was only about 5 or 6 inches of snow on the ground (at the outside). While the groomers had clearly been out, there were many branches and bare patches poking through here and there. And there were no classic tracks other than those made by earlier skiers.

Nevertheless, it was good to get out of the Cities, into the quiet, and out on snow again. Hopefully with the snow we’re getting as I write this, and maybe a little more in the next week or so, conditions will keep improving. 

All in all, a good start to the training season. For the first time, I actually have my general training plan mapped out through September when, if all goes well, I should be running in my first 50 miler up on the SHT. 

I’m asking big things from myself this year, and I hope I can deliver.