Run of the day

Today marks the beginning of Boston Marathon Training. Actually, it’s not the beginning of my training. I’ve worked hard the last few months…year…years, to stay fit. Today marks the first double-digit day of Boston Marathon Training. The sun shone into my home, illuminating the dust I must have missed in my last cleaning frenzy. I obsessively checked the weather throughout the morning, waited for my breakfast to digest, debated which mittens to wear based on the wind and temperature and projected weather. I decided on one thick pullover, UnderArmor tights, a headband, a pair of cheap gloves covered by my windbreaker mittens. I pulled on  my Saucony Trail Kinvaras and set out at around 11:00 a.m. for a 10+ mile run.

This January day could not have been more perfect. The sun energized me, and even though the wind gave me the occasional slap in the face, it generally stayed calm. The temperature crept up from around 20 degrees to 26 by the time I finished. The snow gradually melted on salted portions of the sidewalk and previously reluctant (due to the frigid weather) homeowners were shoveling off days-old snow from their driveways.

I started out toward the farmlands and hit the gravel roads about 2 miles into my run. I felt solid throughout the run and maintained a nice, comfortable 8:05 pace. The gravel roads were generally clear or at least runnable, even along the undulating hills of the route so aptly named “quad-busters.”