Fifteen on our own

Well, due to a Friday snowstorm that left Boston with 8-10" of snow, our Saturday Team run was cancelled. Tim and I decided to run our course from Kenmore Square backwards along the marathon course- Beacon Street up through Heartbreak and some minor hills, turning at Chestnut street and back up and down the hills.

Footing is an issue in the snow here in town- most buildings and businesses take some time to clear out their walks. Our first 4 miles or so were run between the sidewalks and in traffic. The motto of the day was 'run safe'. Whenever you have dodgy conditions in runs during marathon training, it's best not to push the envelope- one wrong turn on a snowbank could cost you in the big picture, so it's best to tell yourself it's not worth it.

We ran conservatively until the turnoff to Boston College, then headed up the hills. At this point in the course there is a carriage road that runs along Commonwealth Avenue that is fairly protected from traffic and always clear. We ran a good clip through the hills, then slowed down at Beacon Street for our last bout with the snowy paths and traffic.

Overall, it was a safe run/pace and our average/overall pacing at 8:40. I think Tim would have liked to have seen faster, but considering we ran through the hills, turned round and went back over on a very snowy day, in and out of traffic, I think it was just fine!

I have taken off a day due to work and a tinge of tendon irritation at the upper hamstring insertion. At this point in training, we have three consecutive weeks of distance building, one drop down, and then our longest run of 20 miles. It's best to look at the long term game plan, see what is going on with the body, and adjust so that you can MAKE YOUR LONG RUNS! Of course, you can always miss one of those and still do well- this has happened to me several times when I've come down with a cold, but if you have a choice, do what you can to take care of yourself and continue working on the distance. It's good for the brain and for your body.

Sour Tip of the Day: I've had a bottle of tart cherry juice in my fridge for a while now. It is as sour as lemons, but research has shown that drinking cherry juice or eating tart cherries decreases post exercise induced muscle damage. So, pucker up, runners! I am definitely NOT drinking this before my long runs, but will be trying to work it into the liquids. Nothing bad in it, except for a momentary burst of sourness!