I Have A Run Track Mind

I found a new and better way to embarrass myself.  This fall has been all about running. I've run a lot of miles and tried to learn as much as possible about running so I can take my new fitness and knowledge into next season.  Part of my run focus this fall was to push myself outside of my comfort zone and run some cross country races.  I never ran cross country or track in school, so I figured it would be fun.  It was, and I think it helped make me a better runner.  It also taught me to love off-road running, and all of my long weekend runs are on trails now.  My new route is a lot hillier than my previous long run route, and it has tons of variety.  I run a little bit on the road and bike path, and the rest is on trails with tree roots and rocks and leaves and then I run through the golf course and do a few laps on the UW-Badger's cross country course....

 

It's a great course.  Not super hilly, but still challenging.

...then it's back on the trails.  I used to hate trail running, but I'm loving it now.  The variety is fun, and the challenging terrain makes you a stronger runner.  My route has 22 trees I have to hurdle. ..dead, fallen trees that is.  I'm not hurdling living trees, although that would be awesome. 

But that's not my new and better way to embarrass myself.  

Indoor track.

I've been having a lot of fun with my run focus and wanted to keep it going a little longer.  So I signed up for the Purple and White Indoor Meet at UW-Whitewater.  I'm on the purple team (alumni).  It's a practice meet for the Whitewater track team so they're racing alumni.  I signed up for the 1500 and the 800.  For those unfamiliar with track distances, the 1500 is a little more than 100 meters short of a mile so it's practically a mile.  The 800 is half a mile.

A week after that race I'm racing the Ted Haydon Holiday Classic where I'm running the mile and the 800.

Being an average runner at best competing against better than average runners the outcome is inevitable.  I will lose, and lose in a spectacular way.  But I don't care.  This is all about pushing myself outside of my comfort zone and getting more use out of my cheap $25 spikes.  None of my cross country races were muddy so my shoes still look new.  Smoke 'em if you got 'em.

The alumni race is a week from Saturday - December 11.  This weekend I'm running the Furry Friends 5K.  I will do nearly any race that benefits a Humane Society.  I'm all about helping the pups.