Hey, do you believe it, I actually ran outside this morning. The temps hit 20*F and the winds were not howling. No, it was not a warm run, but it wasn’t horrible either. I did exactly what I wanted after yesterday’s harder tempo run – a nice recovery run.

However, based on Sunday’s weather forecast I did skip my scheduled 4.0 miler to what I would have done on Saturday and have moved up my 10.0 mile long run to Saturday, since there is a good probability that I won’t leave the house to do anything but snowblow the driveways.

The run itself was not anything special, but I paid for experimenting with eating cereal yesterday and needed to take a pit stop after 3.0 miles. Which meant that I turned up from Leighton Road and went back into to Planet Fitness instead of heading out around the Commerce Center. Once I did that I didn’t have any desire to head back outside to finish up the next 3.0 that I needed get my 6.0 miles.

I headed out and got on one the few treadmills that were left. One of the better masters runners in the area happened to be running right beside mine and he had his set to 7.6 mph and I was halfway tempted to go ahead and play a little and set mine to 8.0 mph.

Yeah, I am just a little competitive, besides he usually kicks my butt in races we are both in. 😉 I may have wanted to set a little alarm bell in his head, but it probably is better to not rock the boat and maybe pull a surprise of the hat later this year. Not that I am expecting to beat him, but maybe make him work a little harder than usual.

So I was good and set the treadmill to about the same pace that I had been running outside – approximately 6.4 mph and didn’t get caught up in the one-upping game. I ran a steady 3.0 miles and felt good.

Although I did have an interesting offer from another runner that I know. He is injured and can’t use his Winter Classic 10 Miler entry and he offered to transfer it to me. Unfortunately, transferring it was not an option because that window closed last Sunday and I really didn’t feel comfortable banditing the race (it ain’t like the 70’s and 80’s when it was sort of okay, but not really), also we are both known by a few people down there and I am a lot shorter and chunkier than he is.

They frown on not having your own bib and I understand the reasons. I don’t feel like being put on the bad boy list and not being allowed to ever enter again. So it didn’t work out, but it was a nice offer and would have fit right into my Hansons training schedule.

I felt good running outside and even though I had a tough workout yesterday, today’s pacing felt easy. In other words a pretty decent run. However, with the forecast for a major winter storm and then bitter wind chills through Wednesday (at least), it means more treadmill time.

While I am not thrilled with doing 10 miles on the treadmill tomorrow, it will be better than battling subzero wind chills, so I will get out my shorts and t-shirt and plug along at about 6.6 mph and smile when I get done.