Happy Trails

This weekend is a 10K trail race. This is my first trail run of the year, only because I have not been able to schedule one. They are fun, but you can add another mile to the race because you are running side to side along the trail so much.  This requires concentration which is a challenge for a runner whose mind wanders (me).  It is a great challenge and such a change from my normal runs.

During my first trail race I wiped out.  Trip, tuck, and roll.  It happened so quickly.  I hit the ground and fortunately bounced right back up and kept on going. This one was not nearly as bad and painful as the trip and fall on a concrete sidewalk and I have had many of those. It made me concentrate much more.  They have been many more trips along the way. It is a challenge.

The race on Saturday means that I am in a race prep week. It affects my 30. Going into the race I want to be setting at about 17 miles.  That seems to put me in a good place for a good fast race pace.  Keeping up with that and then planning how to reach my 30 after race day is constantly churning in my brain. On Sunday I should be left with an 8 miler and that sounds very good to me for a Sunday afternoon run.

How about the day before a race run?   I used to like to do a 1 or 2 miler just to check everything out. Make sure that everything is working and I can breathe in a rhythm.  Now, older and stiffer, I prefer a series of stretching to loosen myself up and save my knees a little on the day before. Then post-race I like to take a walk later in the day with my wife.  That seems to help my recovery, along with my compression leggings.

What do you think?

Zippy