Training Tactics

Training... that may be a bit of a misnomer. I'd like to think I'm training for something, but I'm not sure what yet. If nothing else, long life and good health!

I ran with Amos on the trail today. It's supposed to be our week in increase to 4.5 miles... but the past few days have been way too cold to get out. Today it was in the 20's, so we took a stab at it.

Before I go any further, in response to my last post, let me say that anything in the single digits is too cold for a dog to run in. Another reason for not taking any chances the last few days, where single digits were the highs. It appears I did do some damage to Amos last week when I posed the question "how cold is too cold". A few days ago he was licking both his front paws rather diligently, which caused me take a closer look. It appeared there was gum stuck in his fur. As I looked closer, it dawned on me... skin! It was dead skin. So, lesson learned!

Today Amos' issue was ice... ice cubes formed under his pads, stuck to the fur. The poor guy, he probably thinks I'm trying to kill him! He must be a glutton for punishment, cuz he still loves going running with me. I'll have to figure out the ice chunk issue next.

We ran on the trail, and it started rather nice. I run on one of the least used sections of the trail in the city limits, and at the beginning it was snow packed. Actually, a vehicle had been on it for the first mile, and formed and nice little section to run on. After that, however, it turned to four or so inches of loose snow. Dang, that was like running on sand... difficult! I really wanted to turn around, but I refused. The sun was setting, and it was a quite beautiful sunset... with the baren trees and white snow. I didn't want to stop.

I started thinking about some of the things I do to make me finish a work out... my training tactics. Quite often I run during the hour after work, before I have to pick up Ray (this was pre-Amos). I would start my run at 5:00 or so, knowing daycare closed at 6:00. This would give me 55 minutes. I would time myself on the out portion for 28 minutes, knowing my back would naturally be slightly slower, and I would have a huge hill to climb on the back as well. So at the turn around I'd have this adreneline rush, knowing I had to go faster on the way back, or I'd be late. I've never been late!

Tonight Amos was definitely in the negative split frame of mind; he seemed a little freaked. I don't know if it was the ice cubes under his paws, or the fact we were running in the near dark, out in the middle of no where, unable to see the best place to run in the four inch snow. At the turn around he had the same rush I usually do!