Saturday, February 19, 2011

Training is coming along!

Just finished the first 10 mile long run of our training with my Dad and RER in the Ken Caryl Valley.  It was absolutely gorgeous, and I felt great!  It was my Dad's first 10 mile run in quite some time, and the longest run of our training so far.  Our coach described it as having some hills and being a bit "challenging"... that it was.

The first several miles were "ever so slightly uphill", and the 4:45 pace group maintained a steady pace. Mile 5 was a little easier as it was mostly downhill, and kind of a steep downhill in some areas. So we made it to the 5 mile turn around fairly easily, but 'what goes up must come down'... or rather what goes down must go up!  Mile 6 was a bit of a challenge, slowly but surely we made it to the top and I have to say I was glad that there was a water station there!!!  Took a little breather, got some water, and ran our little hearts back to the start.  While the last several miles were downhill, they still weren't "easy" miles.  Just like running uphill there is definitely an art to running downhill.  In fact, in terms of technique running uphill is easy than running downhill.  Maintain control with short quick steps, be light on your feet, keep your shoulders slightly in front of you, your hips and feet below you, don't "brake" with your quads and let gravity help you glide down the hill... easy right?  Well my Dad and I did our best, and finished the 10 mile run strong.

Afterwards we went to Village Inn to celebrate our accomplishment by refueling our bodies in preparation for this weeks running to come! 

No group long run next Saturday cuz we are going snowboarding for my birthday weekend!!! 33!  My cousin Cory is going to be in town and it will be his first time skiing (hopefully he won't be too sore to do a little "Stahl Shufflin")... my Dad is coming up, so is my sister and her entourage - Lyndsay, Dustin and Owen, and my sweetheart Benny! Should be a lot of fun.  My stepmom Jackie can't come but she's sending up some breakfast burritos and lasagna - yummmmmm!  And my brother-in-law-to-be is being such a trooper and watching the monster (Olive).

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