Just running along

Yes, Thomas our tree does have some bits of green showing through the tinsel and home made ornaments. It's also well guarded by our very own Christmas goat which is a new tradition from Sweden since we have a visitor from there.
Cody is very photogenic, even when just awoken from sunning on the couch. He is a Birman, a breed noted for their beauty and being a people cat. This guy has quite a personality and gets lonely and talkative if ignored or left out of things. He is also very attached to his owner, my daughter and sleeps outside her door at night makes pitiful cries in the morning when we start to get up.

On the running front, things are rolling along quite nicely but I've been too busy to blog all week with the family home and no spare time in the evenings when I usually do my posting. It's really amazing how much difference a week makes. This time last week it was all moaning and complaining about being tired all the time, cutting runs short and basically just not keeping up with what the mind wanted to do. Now a totally different story, getting the runs in by time intended, managed a tempo-ish run and not especially tired except for a little background noise.

Monday - rest day; walk to/from work but now looking like we'll have a green Christmas

Tues - 8+ miles in a little over an hour at lunch. I was a little underdressed in -5C (keep forgetting to account for the wind) but the run went well and I enjoyed a nice caramel chocolate candy midrun that lasted almost 2 miles.

Weds - 11+ miles in 94:00 A slow steady run in the same conditions as Tues but better dressed for it with windpants and windproof gloves. Stopped at home for a refill of gatorade that helped get me through the last 1/2 hour where things started to flag a little bit.

Thurs - 8 miles in 63:30 with 3 miles at marathonish pace (splits 7:14, 6:59 and 7:20 varied with the hills and strong wind). Started out slow and then did the pace run back to homebase. It felt good to run a little faster than normal but got a bit difficult at the end with steep hills and strong winds in unison against me.

Friday - after a quick exit from our office Christmas eve party it was time to get quickly geared up and on the road for a longer run in the cold wind again. Temperature was -5F (23F) with windchill of -10C (14F) and I was happy to have some extra layers today. Out and back 12 miles in about 1:40 and felt decent most of the way but tiring a little over the last few miles. Decent run.

Total for the week so far is 60 miles with one run left tommorow. I'll be sure to get out early for this so I'm well rested for another meeting with Andrew on Sunday for the long run.

Happy Holidays everyone!