Notes
Did Mink Farm Hills today in the gorgeous Decorah afternoon. The sun has now shown that brightly since August I don't think. I left Regents and went about 2 minutes before feeling my calves again and deciding it just wasn't worth it. Feeling defeated, I turned around and walked back towards where I had started. There wasn't a cloud in the sky and it was a tremendous bright blue. About 50 yards from the building I stopped and looked around. I thought to myself "this is stupid, there are SO many people who would KILL to have the time, energy, and health to be doing this right now. And you're in training, get your A$% into gear." I hit start on my watch for a second time, turned, and headed out with renewed determination.
I am incredibly glad I was able to talk myself back into it. I had one of the best distance runs I've had in many weeks. After about a mile my calves began to loosen up, and I pulled my high socks down to my ankles and I think that helped with circulation. (It was a new pair of socks and they were quite tight)
After the canoe landing I never once thought about turning around. I never quite knew where I was headed, but I was starting to feel good. I ran through the campground and then onto Twin Springs Road. It seemed my legs were feeling better, and my mood and physicality got lighter the further I went. I started up the hill and realized right around Mccafrey's that I was feeling good and wasn't going to stop. After I got higher than Mccafrey's I didn't see another person. Up on top of the hills the sky went on forever, past the horizon, and the striped fields dotted with snow carried a certain beauty only appreciated when one is out exploring alone. I kept thinking the sun was just calling anybody around to climb higher and play with it after being hidden for a few months. I got all the way up to highway 9 and jumped to hit the stop sign as is tradition with that run. I stopped just briefly at the very peak of the hill to look around for a few more moments before heading back down. I had a very cliche 20 minutes up in hills when I began to consider existential questions and the nature around. It was the kind of run when you enjoy every foot step and piece of earth and msucle movement, and yet forget you are running all at the same time. I I had these kinds of runs more often I don't think I'd ever stop running.
Sometime around Mccafreys I switched into a comfortable but definite tempo effort and continue that to highway 9. I don't know how far or how long it was and I don't care, but it felt good to move fast and I definitely got some uphill work in.