The Next Level

60 miles per week. Check. One day off per week. Check. One long run per week. Check. One speedwork or other Something of Substance run per week. Check. The 60-mile weeks have been a thing for me for a good month and a half now. The long runs, the day off, and the occasional speedwork have been gradually worked into my weekly routine. Today's goal: take it to the next level. At least by a smidge. My usual 18-mile long run would be a 20-mile long run. And the total weekly mileage would be up from around 61 to 65 or so. Nothing Earth-shattering. But the next level, nonetheless.

It's raining here at Plum Creek. We needed the precip, but did it have to happen during this run? I only manage to get a short two miles in before Andy and Michelle Wolff show up. We run North on the new and the under-construction trails until we emerge at Mooney park. From there, we head West, do a loop, and then return in order to meet the 6:00 gang. Now I'm up to six and a half miles.

Now that Harold Dravenstott, Mallory Bergstresser, and Chadwick Sunday have joined, things get serious. Not really. But we've got a pretty good group now. We go back to the North, back on the same trails, back through Mooney park, but this time we continue North and go all the way around Brunswick Lake. We return via a different route. Now everyone is getting ready to go home, and with 14 miles, I still have six to go.

It's back to the North once again. This time I head West out to Mooney park, but I take a slightly different route from the one we did earlier. When I return, I'm a little over 19 total miles (and 64 for the week), but I have to quit. It's past time to get home and take care of my daughter's cats.

Yeah, I know. As far as flimsy excuses go, that one was particularly so. Maybe we should say that I only made it to the next half-level.