Cold and Icy Saturday Run

Today we had a bit of a sleep in as it was just my hubby and I hitting the trails this Saturday morning. The temperature was hovering around zero as we set out for a run on an old mountain logging road. The trail was icy when we started but the sun soon came out which softened the snow covering the trail. We saw many animal tracks in the snow and we think there was deer, dog and perhaps a lynx. Cat like prints but small and light. We ran for 8km up the mountain road and then returned for another 8km making todays run a total of 16km. We saw 2 other runners who are training for a 100 miler in March and are finding it a challenge to find places to run since the snowfall over the last month. Not bad for mileage this week as we managed to get out after work for a few outings during the week. Today during the run I was reviewing in my mind all the things I learned this past week in a new position at work. Looking foward to next weeks challenges. I was also thinking of a friend whose dog had to be put to sleep last night. It is so sad to loose a pet, they are often the best friend you could ever ask for. Off to the hockey game tonight, Vancouver vs Minnesota. Go Canucks Go!

2009 Training Blogs

For some time now I have been contemplating blogging about my running. This year I have some ambitious running goals so the time feels right to document the journey. I have been running ultra events for aprox 5 years now. In 2008 I completed 8 ultra runs. An "ultra" is defined as any event over marathon distance. In total I have completed 15 ultras ranging in distance from 50km (30 miles) to 80km (50 miles). Enough about the numbers!
I am one of those "ultra completers" not "competitors". I find the trails a place to leave any stress behind and a place to energize the mind, body and soul.
The big event planned this year is a 95 mile journey called the West Highland Way in Scotland. It is often completed by hikers in 5-7 days. My goal is to finish under the cut off time of 35 hours. 34.59! My hubby is originally from Scotland so it is quite exciting to run through some of the most beautiful and remote areas of the old country! Planning is underway for accommodation, crews etc...
This past weekend marked what I consider the first real training week of 2009. We travelled to Scotland at Christmas and it took what seemed like months for me to recover from a cold/flu combined with the jet lag. My irritated airway required a shuffling of meds to clear the passages so I could push on a run. All is clear now! I feel like I'm back to my usual buzz of energy. "Dialed up" is often used to describe the energy that ultra runners possess. I think this is quite descriptive! Is it the running that makes us dialed up or was it there before the running and that is why we run?