Last week, there was a little snow and a loss of power. So, I couldn’t start doing weekly long runs until today.
I want to run a couple of spring marathons and do a solid build-up. I need to shed a couple of pounds added during my running break.
My first long run was only 11 miles on my Belmont-Ferry Farm, Falmouth Bridge, Heritage Trail route. I want to build up to a weekly 20 mile run by late March. If the snow clears, it will be out to Lee Drive next week.
Overnight temperatures dropped into the 20s. Looking at the forecast, getting out after 8:30 am will be above freezing.
At 8:30 am the temperature was 33 degrees. I was expecting that to rise to 45 by the time I finished.
I wore shorts over compression shorts, a singlet over a long-sleeve shirt, gloves, knit hat, neck gaiter, and my Saucony Triumph 19 shoes. Today was my first long run in these shoes. I started with an overshirt that I took off and wrapped around my waist at my first 20-minute interval walk break.
I was doing a 2-minute walk every 20 minutes. During each walk break, I drank about 4 ounces of UCAN. My 20-ounce bottle was enough for five walk breaks. I needed to let out my single bottle belt to reduce my extra pound tightness.
As I got to the entrance to Chatham, I ran past the “Area Closed” barricade and through the property. It did not appear to have any safety hazards on my route through Chatham. Probably, there were downed trees near the house.
I was surprised that the fields at Pratt Park were still snow-covered. The Belmont-Ferry Farm Trail was clear until I turned into the woods. Both bridges were still covered by snow and ice, and there were a few patches in other sections of the trail.
Coming down the switchbacks, I noticed a small brown dog running loose on the other side of River Road with a person nearby. After crossing River Road, the dog had gone into the woods, and the person was in their car.
I used the sidewalk on the north side of the Falmouth Bridge. This side of the bridge is exposed to the sun and should melt any snow. After ten days, there was still rough plowed snow and ice on the sidewalk. Going into the city, I had cars to my back and had to take it easy not to slip and fall into traffic.
The bridges on the Heritage Trail were clear of snow. The city had put sand on one of the bridges. There was snow and ice on the trail north of the underpasses for Fall Hill Avenue and Jeff Davis Highway (starting January 1, Emancipation Highway),
When I reached Fall Hill Avenue near Canal Street, the road bridge was still snow and ice-covered. It was passable.
Back on the Falmouth Bridge and facing traffic leaving the city, I was able to run in the road when cars were absent. The ice on the sidewalk had melted. There was lumpy snow in sections.
As I was almost back into Pratt Park, a crouching man and a loose brown dog were on the trail in front of me. About 40 meters out, I yelled “hello,” trying to figure out how to get by them. I realized it was the same brown dog from an hour earlier as I got closer.
The man was trying to catch the stray and read his tags. I tried to help. When I got within 10 feet, the dog barked and growled. I recommended that the man take a picture and post it on social media.
I was getting cold standing around and had to continue running.
My final time was 5% slower than last January. It may have been the snow and ice.
I did feel good for most of the run and ran at a consistent speed. I hope I’m not slowing too much.