A Weekend of Running

Dosen't sound like anything new for me, but thats what it was and two different days. I dreaded going out yesterday morning witht e forecasts predicting cold and biting winds etc, today was supposed to be much better. Surprise, surprise they got it wrong. I got up and was out the door by 7:30 (early for me) and soon found that I had over dressed, there was no discernable wind just crispy cold. So by the time I got to Patterson and Tiffin I had do something about it. I was able to take an extra vest off and stuff it in my camel back pocket, and that made a big difference. So off I went towards the lake and around the north shore towards Oro. My first stop after 5 k was on the north shore trail and soon found out that I should have put the camel back under my jacket, it was frozen so no drink just yet. I adjusted and put my jacket over top and on I went. The next stop was on the first line just before the first hill, past the parking area. That was good timing because I don't like that hill, so I wlked up it and felt good. On I went up the first line, up the next big hill before turning onto the Gore Rd. At this point the wind had picked up and I decided to put my balaclava on. The wind was biting although lite from the north. Just before the next hill it was break time again, good timing. I wasled upto Hwy 93 adn continued running upto to Partridge Rd. west and over the 400 Hwy. This part was tough, a cross wind and I was tiring a bit, and starting to hurt a little. As I turned up towards Pooles Rd on a section of rolling hills, i felt pretty good, but needed another walk on Pooles. Thats when I realized how much the walk breaks were making me feel re-energized.
Into Midhurst I got past St.Vincent and I was 25k time for a drink and a walk break. THis one would be my longest as I wlked right through Midhurst for 1k before starting up again. At Bayfield I turned back towards town, I wrestled with this route and decided this would be the lesser of two evils. Either straight through to Wilson and the long up hill climb back into town or Bayfield to Carson to Anne. Neither was appealing, but it was the onyl way home at this point. It was 1k from Snow Valley Rd. to Carson Rd. and at this point I was in need of another break, but ran the entire hill up Carson Rd., turned on Anne and at 30k took a gel break. Back in Barrie!
The last 8k or so were a bit of a struggle, but I had the wind at my back and it was mostly down hill. Over all a successful 38.4k in just under 4 hours.
This morning I felt good and when I got to the Running Room there was only Roger, Theo and Alan and no one seemed to enthused. Theo was doing about 16k, Alan 30kish and Roger just nodded his head, whatever. We started on the long Tiffin Route out to Wellington at a nice easy pace. Stopped at the end of Edgehill for a drink and quickly got going again (not a long enough break I was thinking). Onto to Tiffin I was feeling good, just wondering where Theo was going to take us next. Well it was Innisfil to Holgate, I stopped at Essa for a gel and let Alan catch up briefly before starting up again. Roger and Theo didn't stop as Roger was finding his leg bothering him each time he stopped. They were a long way ahead by this time, good I can do my own thing now. I might have thought that, but couldn't help trying to reel them in. At Minets Pt. I saw Roger and Theo waiting, but I had decided to head to Royal Oak to add the distance required to get in 20k, so pointed to them that, that was what I was going to do. So I headed along Tollendahl on the sidewalk and when I went to cross to the bike path, looked around and there was Roger right behind me. Oh well Ihope he doesn't mind running slow. I also noticed Alan bringing up the rear. We did the Royal Oak loop and turned back and that was when the wind hit us, biting cold. It was tough running back but we got it in and finshed the 20k in 1:47. 101k for the week and none the worse for wear!
Next Saturday is the OUS warm up event in Dunedin. Upto 6 hours of running should good to talk to the other ultra veterans.