Out of the deep freeze

Buddy contemplating winter.

Tomorrow is the start of a two week vacation.

Enjoy the holidays!

Shoe Update

I'm still loving the Ascends. I've done a couple more 3 mile runs on snowy roads with icy patches. Both runs were in below zero temperatures. My feet stayed warm, dry, and I didn't slip at all!

Did I mention I'm really enjoying a return to road running? As much as I love the trails, I've got to admit I'm a little scared after January's fall. Even though running the dogs this weekend on snowy trails was fun, I definitely had twinges of fear as I was slip sliding along. Road running has it's tricky moments too, but I'm enjoying it. Maybe I'm still just basking in the glow of running without pain!

Snow!

Lots of it! Buddy and I were able to complete a 30 minute hike through lots of fresh snow this morning. It was -5 degrees. I didn't even check the wind chill. We just needed to be outside in the new powder. After shoveling the driveway and sidewalks, it was time to play.

Buddy waiting for me to throw his toy.

Trying to destroy the thing.
So proud of himself and his toy.


Tired.

Have a great day!

First Thoughts - Mizuno Ascend 4

With the VIP discount and a coupon, I got new shoes from Road Runner Sports for under 40 bucks. After wearing them around the house for a week, I decided to try the Ascends out on a snowy 5 mile trail run.

So far, I LOVE these shoes - for many reasons. I ordered a 7.5, same as all my running shoes, and they fit perfectly. The Ascend is very lightweight and flexible. The traction is better than my Cascadias and the shoes have a bit more needed stability. The very best part of this shoe is the low heel counter, which means that nothing is touching the almost gone achilles nodule.

I don't think the Ascends are water resistant, and my toes did get a little cold while running through deep snow. Once I got back to the road, though, my feet quicky warmed up. It helped wearing SmartWool socks too. This shoe isn't as cushiony in the forefoot, but that didn't bother me during this run. Hopefully, this will hold true for longer runs too. I'd say this is one of the most comfortable pair of running shoes I have ever owned.

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SNOW!

Therapists often call this the silly season. It's not silly really, but hard for a lot of people. As a result, work has been stressful (although there's been a lot of fun and good things too). I'm thankful to be able to run again to deal with and process it all in a healthy way. We've gotten a lot of snow which makes it even more fun for me and our snow dog. Three shorter runs through snow during the week, and a 6 mile trail run in lots of fresh snow made for some quality workouts. We also made time for some off leash play...

Life is busy so if I don't get back here for awhile - Happy Holidays!

The Weekend

Saturday morning Rebecca and I took the dogs on a 5 mile easy loop. Below is Eby ready to get moving. Lots of sunshine!

Today, Buddy and I avoided the hunters and stuck to a nearby trail for a 3.5 mile loop. He was either tired or sore from yesterday's pavement, so we took lots of breaks. I'm feeling giddy - still no pain on my runs - just side stitches and heavy legs. I welcome those because it means that even though I'm really out of shape I'm actually running! Sorry, that news is going to get old to all of you. This injury just took a stinking long time to work itself out.

After our run, I locked us out of the house, but we got to see some beautiful colors at sunset!