Move it on over

One cool fall day, probably in 1977 I decided to go run for and hour and a half.  It was a classic out and back out toward Amish country.  There was a covered bridge that way and though it was only several miles from where I lived I hardly went that way.  There was really no reason, as there was absolutely nothing except rolling farm land.  Up until that time, anything approaching 45 minutes was the max run.  Lately however my head was stuck in running books and magazines which mentioned longer runs.  The plan was simple.  Just go run 45 minutes out and turn around and come back.  There was no rush.  I remember getting probably 5 miles or so from home and turning back.  Much to my surprise this was not as taxing as I expected it to be.  It would be the starting point of incorporating distance into my runs.  I ran them purely by feel and by the summer of 1978 it was not uncommon for me to run 20 miles on Saturday.  Never even thought of carrying anything.  There was an artesian well along the way and I'd tank up there.  When I got home I'd prepare a huge pitcher of cherry Kool Aid with tons of sugar.  I'd take the whole thing down.  Of course much like today it did not exempt me from doing my job down at the dairy, mowing the yard or working in the garden.  When we'd get together and sleep out, the guys always made fun of me for bringing an old school wind up alarm.  I'd set the thing, get on my bike and peddle about 2-3 miles home with the gear and beat it down to the dairy.  Good times.

Being able to still get out and run is a bonus.  Eventually I'll drop the notion that some performance standard must be acquired.  Why I still care is uncertain, but having figured out the internet I see other humans are in the same box.  For well over a decade now I have told myself that I am going to drop down to about 35 miles a week, but concentrate on blasting out the short stuff.  Have an old school track and cross country season.  Of course I'd do the random long run, but lean on the side of one ultra a year.  And for that it would be to just have fun and finish.

3/17 AM = 25.8k 2:41:01 roads
3/18 = OFF
3/19 = OFF
3/20 AM = 8k w/ 3.5 miles of fartlek on t--mill in 42:24
3/20 PM = 9.5k 59:07 w/ Robert on Lapham paved surfaces
3/21 PM = 9.7k 60:58 at Bugline w/ Dewey, Tim, and Robert
3/22 AM = 8k 51:33 Bugline
3/23 AM = 25.8k 2:49:57 half road and trails
Total 86.8k (Almost 54 miles)