Long hill run - Sun. Jan. 21

It was too cold (windy, sub 20 deg. F) and I was too busy to try the Snowstorm 5K on Saturday, and so I was not sure yesterday whether I'd made my 25 miles for the previous week. In fact I had, at just over 26 miles total, but I wanted to make the best of my Sunday opportunity just in case, and I figured (especially given some knee soreness) I wanted to stay off roads. Also, given that it was still seriously cold (no snow, and mainly no wind, but in the low twenties F.) I wanted to get warm quickly. So I cadged a lift to the bottom of Holland Glen and headed up there, aiming in a roundabout way for the Quabbin.

As I set off I was passed by two runners coming down -- I'm pretty sure it was Mr and Mrs Nedeau, serious racers, doing some local training: good company, I thought. The brook was spectacularly iced up in places, and the trail was plenty tricky (ice turns highly technical into specialists or nutters only territory), but I managed to get a bit warm as I made my way up to the second belvedere (fantastic viewscape at this time of year, 0.88 miles from the startpoint). Paused a bit, then plodded on up the M & M trail. It was much browner than the last run with Mark, done in our faux spring of late December or early Jan., but fortunately most all the oak leaves were blown off the trail, which was thus less slippery. At the confusing junction I chose uphill and though I was heading for Gulf as I'd wanted, but no, it came out on the old tumbledown shack and new MacMansion cluster at the end of Munsell. Ah well, same difference - I headed to Gold, then up to Knight's Pond (*cold* wind there) and took a right towards 202. Helped a couple find their way to 30 Knights (as Packardville is called at that point, it turns out) and then across 202 (where the big old house if for sale; lovely place, tough location) past the candle shop and down the res. access road. Nicely soft, and it was a good mile away from the main road before I reached the turn-off for Juckett Hill. Took this and was again really feeling the hill (this run would be a good one to keep in mind for future training, especially when I'm feeling a bit tougher!), but made it all the way up and felt the chill of the wind up there on the top.

After that, coming out on to Juckett and right onto Allen, along to 202 and then home past VFW. Stopped the clock as I reached 9, since I had a good distance covered and I wanted to avoid hurrying across 9 busy w/ Sunday traffic when already tired. Too cold for a warmdown, I went directly home and enjoyed hot tea, a late lunch and a good nap.

Time: 1:32:25
Speed: 7.2 mph
Distance: 11.05 miles

Comment: that was enough hill training for the week, as well as a good long run. I'd forgotten how tough it is to run in cold -- seems much worse when there's no snow, somehow. But now just 8 miles to go during the week, as long as I make it to the 10K next Saturday. Yosh!