Beautiful Day!

Not a cloud in the sky today.  But I'm still shivering as I write this.  It is definitely warmer than yesterday, but still around 35 with a 15 mph wind blowing.  Nicer than yesterday's 30 degrees with a 35 mph wind blowing, but it still seems to go right through me.

I ran 6 miles today because I wanted to reach the milestone round number of 8000 miles with my Nike Plus app. It wasn't one of my best runs because I couldn't seem to stay warm and my legs felt stiff. I have run for 19 days straight with no rest days.  I know that's not a good way to train, but when I'm up here at work, I need to run every day if I can, just for my sanity! If I can average about 8 miles a day for the rest of the month I can make 200 miles for September.  To do that I'm going to need a few of those 10 mile or more days.  I think I will set that goal.

Wind and More Wind!

It's still windy, at least 25 mph with gusts hitting over 30.  35 degrees, but at least it was beautifully sunny and clear.  I found a place along the Dalton Highway where I wouldn't have to run directly into the wind.  In both directions I had the wind to my side.  It was cold but tolerable.  I ran 6 miles because I saw that with my Nike Plus app, I only need 12 miles to reach a total of 8000.  I love those round numbers!  It's very silly of course, but I decided to go for 6 today and try for another 6 tomorrow.  If I'd had enough time and it wasn't freezing cold, I may have tried for all 12 today.  But I guess I'm just not that tough.  I should be able to log the 6 miles tomorrow to reach that totally meaningless milestone! I have to do something for entertainment around here!

Brutal Wind!

I think today was close to my limit for running suffering! It's 30 degrees and gusting to 35 mph.  I ran down by the river on the little road because there was still some fog and I felt it was too cold to commit to a run around the lake.  In one direction I was directly into the wind and the other, directly downwind.  Into the wind was very similar in effort to running up a fairly steep hill.  That may be the closest I can come to running hills while I'm up here working.  But running downwind was actually fairly comfortable.  But I have very pink cheeks from the windburn from the last few days.  I think if it gets much colder and the wind gets any stronger I'll have to resort to the treadmill.  But if I can run outdoors, I will always do that.

The wind sock tells the story!

This hill across from the river branch at the end of my running road also tells a story.

Two days ago

Today

I suspect the big furry critter who dug that huge hole has settled down for the winter.  I always wondered where the bears go to hibernate around here.  I think I know now!

Bone Chilling 9 Miles!

The forecast for today was clear and sunny.  But I woke up to dense fog, a 25 knot wind and 31 degrees.  But I had made up my mind that I had to run at least 8.41 miles because that's what I needed to reach 100 miles for the month of September.  I had to drive down the road to the deserted road to the river to run because it was too foggy to try to mix with traffic anywhere else.  The first mile was really cold and I wondered how in the world I would ever make it through the first mile, let alone all 8.  But when I turned downwind, it was much more tolerable.  I just kept on going and going and finally stopped when I reached 9 miles.  I even considered going for 10 but at 9, I was back at the car.  I decided that was going to be plenty of freezing for today.

So I've done it, 100 miles so far this month, in only 16 days.  I'd like to make 200 but that means I need to do more than my typical 5 miles every day.  I really enjoyed yesterday's 10 mile run, so I hope we get some good fog free days so I can repeat that or go even farther.

10 Miles

It was a beautiful day today.  It was also only 34 degrees with a 20 mile per hour wind blowing.  I only planned to run the 5 miles around the lake.  But running into the wind was so cold that I diverted down the Dalton Highway just to get away from it.  Then I turned back still planning to run the lake.  By the time I got to the Aurora Hotel, I was again tired of the wind so turned down towards the North Slope Borough building.  After I passed that, I just kept going! I turned left at the end of that road, then left again at the end of the next road and was full circle back at the lake.  By then I had reached over 5 miles so just decided to go for 10.  It was sunny and beautiful and along the north side of the lake the wind was to my back.  I kept on around, then back to the Dalton Highway for 9 miles.  Then one more mile back to my hotel and I was at 10.  It was a good run.  Of course still slower than I want.  But it was nice.

I registered for the Great Wall Marathon for May 2019 so have that challenge ahead of me.  I'll be trekking up and down Lazy Mountain once I get home, to prepare for that.

Red Fox

Icy Wind

I was sure I'd be hitting the treadmill today.  It was so foggy that even Alaska Airlines couldn't land.  It was horribly windy and as soon as I got changed into my running gear, I looked out the window and saw that the fog had blown away!  The mud on the local road was at its worst so I drove down the Dalton Highway about 5 miles and ran there.  It was really cold at 35 degrees with that 20 knot wind, but I endured and ran 5 miles.  I had a late start so only had time for 5 miles. But I was happy to do it outside and not indoors.  It was quite beautiful by Deadhorse standards, with blue sky and blue water.  There is even a bit of green on the hills created by the gravel pit.  There were hardly any trucks on the road so I had the place all to myself.

Calm Day on the Dalton Highway

It was the usual 300 feet overcast and foggy around the lake.  But it was actually reasonably calm.  I ran up and down the Dalton Highway itself for 6 miles.  I might have been able to run farther but I didn't wake up early enough.  I'm still waiting for a sunny day so I can actually enjoy running round out there.  I'm up to over 76 miles this month which is better than usual for my first 13 days here. I hope I can keep it up and hope to eventually get in a really long run.