2014/03/17

Chasing Pavement

Ski season is quietly letting itself out the door as running and biking season begin to clamor for attention. Daylight savings time has once again opened up the evening hours to outdoor recreation, and my neighbors have not been shy about dragging me out the door to get my summer legs back under me.

My last post put a cap on the ski racing season, but here is a bit of a recap:

  • This year's Birkie was my 14th, only 6 more to earn my birch leggings
  • I raced 5 ski marathons this year, my most ever. I skied 161 hours, also my most ever I think
  • Pepsi Challenge was my 30th ski marathon, well ahead of my 10 marathon or longer running races
  • Nearly half of my ski marathons have been Birkie's. I've only won 1 ski marathon, Pepsi 2013
  • The Balsam Vinterfest was back on after 2 years of no snow cancellation
Now it is time to leave the snow behind (mostly, if the snow keeps coming I'll keep skiing on it), and move on to other things, mostly because I'm running a half marathon in less than a week, and it is less than 4 weeks to my first bike race of the year.  Here's how that's going:
  • Running milage is increasing. I ran 5k the first day of March, 10k the first full week of March, and 30k last week. I ran 20k yesterday, and with a half marathon Saturday this week might hit 50k
  • I did my first speed work last Friday 2x2 miles at MP + 1 mile Tempo w/ Nichole & Jeff
  • I got my first bike ride in today, nothing fancy, but it's a start
Part of me still wants to take some significant time off, but I don't think that's going to happen. As long as I ease back into summer sports I'm sure things will be fine. I'm signed up for the Chippewa triathlon again, paddling with Erik Pieh this year, so my first venture out of the mixed doubles category. There isn't much open water to put a boat in yet however, so that is at least one sport I can still wait to dive back into.

Other than that things have been quiet on the home front. Mozzarella is her bouncy ol' self, machines still run until they break down at work, and spring cleaning is awaiting the arrival of spring.

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