You Need Legs to Be Cool

Got into a fight with Spider today.
He told me you need legs to be cool.
Then he ran, I couldn't keep up.
Maybe he's right.

Doreen Cronin
Diary of a Worm

Headed out into a drizzly fog this morning. First back to back runs all month. I took this route from my mom's, one that would have been too hard for me to run when I was growing up here, but one that I enjoy for the same reason now and will usually run when I'm up here. There are not only alot of hills on this loop, but the hills are of the extended kind.

I ran more than I probably should have. I started out very stiff and by mile 7 or so my calves and hamstrings felt tight. I could have taken a short cut at this point but elected to go the full loop as I had originally planned. Partly to get back in the mindset of running miles, partly because I was lost in my running at the time and just wanted to keep going. Either way, I came out fine at the end.

I daresay things are starting to pick up again, and I look forward to that. The arc is still long to the point where I get competitive again, as I envision January consisting mostly of these kind of extended runs where speed is not an issue. The only numbers that will be important will be the number of miles logged.

I found a cellphone along the side of the road in the mountains where there was no reception. I thought a bit about what to do and for reasons I won't go into ultimately decided to leave it in plain sight by the side of the road. I've become a slave to my own phone, and if the person who lost it is anything like me he'll miss it pretty quickly.

I had a nice breakfast waiting for me from my mom on my return, and it lasted awhile as she, my sister and I just sat at the kitchen table and talked. The best talk is always in the kitchen.

I'm driving back to Philadelphia pretty soon. I enjoyed my stay here, but it'll be good to be home tonight.

9.8 hilly miles in 78 minutes flat.