Afternoon Escape

Summary Data
Total Time (h:m:s)	1:03:49	9:02 pace
Moving Time (h:m:s)	1:03:37	9:00 pace
Distance (mi )	7.06
Moving Speed (mph)	6.7 avg.	10.9 max.
Elevation Gain (ft)	+146 / -146
Avg. Heart Rate	154 bpm	Zone 4.3
Temperature (°F)	17.6°F avg.	17.6°F high
Wind Speed ( mph)	S 12.6 avg.	S 12.6 max.

I have spent the last two days locked in my office reading applications for a grant program we are running. I have been reading these apps off and on for the past month, but more than 600 letters of intent came in, each 3 pages long plus a 3 page CV summary and I am now at crunch time for choosing the best 120. (Un?)Fortunately more than 1/2 are really quite good, making this initial ranking hard. Needless to say, I have had to take strategic breaks to shift gears and a 3:00 PM run was the perfect outlet to clear the head.

I think Winter days are the best ones for a solid run. The cold makes the air clear and fresh and I do not get overheated or dehydrated easily. We Northern Europeans were built for this. Heading South, the wind was tough and a bit on the biting side, even for me. Turning around, however, the tailwind was a great way to return. Averaged an 8:48 for the middle five with only a slightly slower warmup/cooldown mile on either end.

Great piece in the Fit Chick Tri Blog entitled "Why I am Doing This?" where she notes that she does it "because it anchors me. Without something big to train for, I'm a ship drifting aimlessly at sea, spinning my wheels with no land in sight. Training gives me one central focus around which I can plot the course for everything else. Sometimes I think that sounds selfish. And maybe it is. But allowing myself that singular selfish pursuit motivates me to pour more energy (and when I'm training, I have more energy) into everything else." My friend Ken and I were talking about about another guy who was saying that he needed more 'me' time--to which Ken and I laughed about the absurdity of 'me' time with small children. But running/biking/swimming is not about 'me' time, it is about keeping me in a place where I can be present, really present, at work and at home in ways that make me a good husband, dad, manager, person. It also explains why I am looking ahead at the calendar, knowing that it is a good thing that I will be doing base miles for two months, but eager for that next 5/8/10k.