Down In The Dirt

I was back again today out in the great outdoors. It was great. You never know how much you miss something or someone until it or they are not around. If you live here in the northeast you know that there was a hella (yes I did live in California for a while) bad storm last night. We actually got marble sized hail. It sounded like we were under attack as my wife and I were awakened from a much needed sleep.

Anyway, trying to get back into the regime I was out for another 2 mile saunter today. In the muck and the mud. I used to run in virtually any kind of conditions if it fell on my running days. It felt good to be out there in the grime and the muck if only for a couple of miles.

I came to a few conclusions while out there. First, the goal I have set for myself is quite daunting but very doable. I know how I feel now and I know it only gets easier. The more you run or do anything the easier it gets. Your body understands what needs to be done and in certain people (like myself) the body craves it. Ask my wife I was quite crabby for the almost 8 months without my daily running fix. Logistically "the race" is uncharted territory and there is few ways to replicate it in its entirety during training. I am looking forward to the uncertainty and the journey from here to there etc.

Secondly and maybe most importantly I realized I really need new shoes. Its been since I guess August or September the last time I got some running shoes. Normally when I am training I buy two pairs of the same shoes and switch back and forth. I always have a dry pair and I don't wear them out as fast. With this endeavor in the back of my head I for the first time will need some trail running shoes. (Any advice from the peanut gallery is greatly appreciated.) My road shoe is and will always be Saucony. I have trusted them for more than a decade now with my feet. I went through a phase of trying different shoes. Some fell apart (Nike) others never quite fit well Asics and New Balance and then I found them. The Grid Hurricane. It was light a beacon in the running night. Now I have to go through the process with trail shoes. I think I need a special trip to Super Runners Store.

Thirdly I am super competitive with myself and others. In the slothful shape that I am as soon as I saw other runners I cranked it up a few miles per hour. Burned the lungs but its sweet music to the soul. I felt good running by some runners. I know the engine is rusty but it hasn't froze up yet.