After 9 months of focused training and racing it can be difficult to shift gears and slow things down. I still run and ride my bike, but I also do other activities I don't normally have time or energy for. This year more than others I have really been savoring these few precious months of less structure. But even though I am not training for anything specific, I still need goals and activity, so one thing I'm doing is challenging myself to run 100 miles over the month of October. Fall is the perfect time to run in Michigan. The trails are beautiful, the weather is great for running, and bugs that can make summer trail runs miserable have disappeared. My goal is to run 25 miles each week, and so far I'm right on track with 49 miles completed. My body has held up surprisingly well so far, and I think it's because I am not logging these miles with any intensity, but just going at whatever pace feels comfortable for that day. I've been able to put in some longer runs and it has felt great.
I also recently got to visit my son in Seattle. That was a great experience, as Seattle is a fun city and Washington is a gorgeous state. We saw the Sounders play, sampled area coffee shops and brew pubs, and ate at amazing restaurants. We visited Mt. Rainier National Park and hiked up the mountain. The view was amazing in every direction. It was beautiful and an unforgettable experience.
Perhaps the best thing about the off-season is how it regenerates my longing for the structure of the rest of the year. I know that soon I will be thinking about training plans, nutrition and race schedules. But for now I won't worry about that, I'll just enjoy this time and appreciate the fact that I have it.
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| Me, Coolie and Mt. Rainier |
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| Hiking above tree line. |
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| Mt. Rainier (yes, this is a real pic!) |
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