16.4km trail run in January?

There was a big meltdown here last week so I was able to get out and do my "Townsend Lake Run" , 16.4Km +/- 500 Meters in El!

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Temp was about 1C , overcast with a light breeze from the West. I wore my running pants with a loose fitting PJ type bottom under , on top it was my metal shirt with a Sweatshirt then my wind breaker and of course a wool toque and wool gloves. I removed the hat at the 8K mark , otherwise I was pretty comfortable!





There was a few inches of fresh snow, it compressed when I landed on it but provided a very firm footing. Tired running in tire tracks but it was slippery as hell ! The running was very similar to running on wet sand!





I did the run is 1:31:16, very good considering that the best time was just under 1:30 ! This was the first time I used my Garmin on this loop .... see http://sports.webshots.com/slideshow/562117665OHKMZx for the Garmin data and a slide show of the run ( Taken last Oct.... its white without leaves now ) .





What a treat this run was , I didn't think I would be able to do this route until April. I hardly knew that I was running in January .... totally amazing! I was scouting out large puddles for skating potential. I was so cool to see the contrast between Winter and Summer , I had run this route many many times last summer/fall. I was surprised a the elevation change, no wonder I have always felt somewhat fatigued half way only to recover and pick it up in the last half of the run. The last 3K was on a Snowmobile trail , there were two spots where I had to cross water and got my feet a little wet but it was no big deal , I was almost home.





I hope that the rest of the winter is like this, I am almost running the same amount as I did last summer . Bring on the 08 season!





Ron.