Training Update

Since the Zumbro 17, which went remarkably well, my training has gone through its ups and downs.

The week directly after Zumbro, I tried to get a solid training week in. This included a 25k loop out at Afton a week after the race. While my legs felt ok, I could tell already that I needed to allow them a little more recovery time. Having put in 34 miles the week after Zumbro, I put in a much more reasonable (for me) 25 miles the week after.

I have also gotten better at my strength training. Partially, this is due to reading "Natural Born Heroes," Chris McDougall's latest book.  His second offering does not flow nearly as well as his first: I find it jumps around at odd places. "Born to Run" did a little bit of this as well, but that flowed more naturally to me. That the first book flowed more naturally than the second I find amusing, since the second is all about natural movement.

Segue aside, the book has re-invigorated my interest in Parkour and Freerunning, sports I have been involved in previously, but let slide since moving to Minnesota due to 1) the cold weather and 2) the fact that the only training gym in the area is inconveniently-located for us. What I forgot, of course, is that Parkour is all about using what you have around you in new ways. I discovered that the stone wall and columns outside my front door are excellent places to work on climb-ups and cat hangs. I do burpees and vaults on my back patio area, and am seriously considering building myself a vault box so I can further explore movement.

(If you don't understand any of that, look up the terms on youtube, there are ample videos out there).

In any case, after the rest week and some strength training, I started to feel a bit more like my running self again. The final week in April, I ran 44 miles, including a 17 mile long run on Sunday.

Regretfully, with the forecast for thunderstorms and rain during the run, I neglected to bring my phone or camera on my run with me on Sunday. I say "regretfully" because it was a stunningly gorgeous day. The spring wildflowers are out in full force in the Minnesota woods, and this particular day, blue flowers blanketed the forest floor, still open to the sunlight as the trees have not yet produced their leaves.

For a little while, I ran along a small creek, murmuring at me to take its picture when I stopped at a bench to tie my shoe.

I nearly slapped myself in the face when I came across a deer skull with a patch of flowers growing around and through it.

Let that be a lesson to me, I guess, that I should always pack a sandwich bag so that, regardless of the weather forecast, I can take pictures of beautiful scenery.

For your edification: some videos related to the above: the first is one of my favorite videos of the genre, the second is mentioned in the book "Natural Born Heroes."