6 Miles at the Sports Center

It snowed about 4 inches last night and the current wind is about 50 miles per hour.  I decided to pass on even trying to run outdoors in that mess.  I went to the Menard Sports Center and ran 6 miles on the indoor track.  That is really a wonderful place to run because it has the perfect temperature, small hills, a smooth surface, and you don't have to fight the elements or traffic or exhaust fumes.  I also beats running on a treadmill because you don't stay in one place.  I am so fortunate to have a place like that to workout.  It is well worth the drive.

I have been posting a different photo each week on Facebook to encourage donations of $25 or more for a thank you gift of an 8 x 10 print of the photo.  So far, I have gotten no donations at all. This week's photo is of a bald eagle from Homer.

Bald Eagle - Homer, Alaska

I'm hoping to find more ways to encourage donations.  I love to run, but the most important part of my running is to find a cure for cancer. 

Please consider making a donation to my

Team In Training Fundraising Page.

Rainbow Trail

Another beautiful day for a nice uphill hike.  First I had to take the Ski Patrol CPR Refresher but then hiked the Rainbow Trail along Turnagain Arm with Diane and her dog Sombra who likes to run with very big sticks and smack me in the legs as he passes. What a goofy dog!

It was 10 degrees this morning but had warmed up to the high 20's by the time we went for our hike. It was wonderful hiking weather with not a cloud in the sky.

Turnagain Arm

Twin Peaks Trail

I am trying to concentrate on uphill right now, while the steeper trails are still snow-free.  Today I hiked and ran up and down the Twin Peaks Trail.  There was a little snow on the upper portion of the trail, and near the top there was some serious overflow with a lot of ice.  I decided to turn around rather than try to negotiate that ice flow.  But it was a gorgeous but cold day.  No wind though.  There seemed to be no one else on the trail too.  At the midway viewpoint I got the usual spectacular view of Eklutna Lake and Bold Peak.  Breathtaking as usual.  It was nice to get in some serious uphill, keeping Mt. Kilimanjaro in mind.

From the Twin Peaks Trail viewpoint

Hatcher Pass

Beautiful hike/run up to Gold Cord Mine at Hatcher Pass today.  It was a beautiful day, cold as can be but at least it wasn't windy.  There is about 2 inches of snow on the road and trail.  I mostly walked up the mountain then ran down.  There is almost enough snow to ski but on the trail portion it was too rocky.  I will wait until we get a few more snowfalls before taking my skis up there.



Not much snow at Hatcher Pass yet.

Hills Hills Hills

I ran the Wolverine Road hills again today. Boy I need to work on hills.  Seemed really tired today.  It was really cold today too, in the 20's.  But once I got enough layers on, I felt warm enough.  It was very cold on the big curve though with a north wind howling.  I could have done without that!

I called REI today and was a little worried when they told me that although they had already confirmed that the Kilimanjaro climb is going to go, several people have dropped out and we are back down to only me and one other person.  She will be my roommate, but we have to pay an extra $300 which is the small group rate. That's ok with me, and hopefully it will also be ok with her.  I don't want to book my airline flight until I know for sure the trip is going to take place.  it is still over 3 months away but I would hope the people who are planning to go would have already decided. REI will call me in a couple of days with more information.

Just a couple more weeks until the San Antonio Marathon.  I do hope it is not still in the 80's on November 11th.  That might feel better than the 20's though.

Home Again

I am back from California and running again.  Not quite as warm as the 85 degrees I left on Friday.  It is about 23 now but with enough layers, I had a good 5 mile run on the Wolverine Road hills.  Felt a little sluggish today though.  I think I got as much exercise walking the shopping mall in San Jose as I did running the Nike Marathon.  It takes a little extra push to get myself out there in the icy cold, but at least the wind wasn't blowing today.  I have about 3 weeks before the San Antonio Marathon.  Hope to speed up a bit by then.  Today it was 88 in San Antonio so I do hope it is a bit cooler on November 11th.

NIke

I did it!  I made it through another Nike Women's Marathon in San Francisco.

 

It was awesome and a lot of work.  My feet are so tired.  I am so tired!  I love this run, even in today's fog, San Francisco was beautiful as always.  The fog was really helpful because I think it would have been too hot otherwise.

 

The Tiffany necklace is another beauty.

 

 

I was still slower than I want to be this time.  I didn't feel well for the first half.  Not so sure why.  I felt kind of sick to my stomach.  But about halfway I seemed to get a second wind and ran the second half a lot faster. I will be concentrating on increasing my speed from now on. 

 

 

NWM San Francisco

Tomorrow is the day.  My 5th Nike Women's Marathon in San Francisco.  20,000+ runners will race through the streets of San Francisco to raise money for the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society.  I went to the expo yesterday and today and also spent some time and money wandering around NikeTown.  Gotta have that 2012 commemorative shirt!  It's always a festive event. For me it is also yet another long training run for the next few marathons and the climb of Mt. Kilimanjaro. It looks like good weather for tomorrow.