Ready for Spring!

Sunday, March 24, 2013 · Mike Davis

Good to be in the final week of March! Hasn’t exactly been the best month for running with the lousy weather we have gotten. Last week Kathy and I got away for 5 days as we stayed down on the Cape and enjoyed some down time from our crazy schedules. Knowing that we both would be starting up training groups over the next couple of weeks, I thought it would be good to enjoy some quiet romance. The weather was not quite as bad as it was at home, but it was pretty cold and windy. Nevertheless we enjoyed ourselves. While we were on the Cape we really wanted to run on the lengthy trail right there but between our schedules, the wind and rain we weren’t able to get in any running. When I go on vacation I typically try to work out but it is not a top priority. We don’t get a lot of vacations so I leave any pressure at home along with a bit of discipline. If I can get a run in or some other type of workout that’s great but that’s not always manageable when there are many activities I want to enjoy. That’s okay though; running is not meant to be a forced activity, but instead one that we desire and enjoy. Taking advantage of a vacation is wise and letting your fun dictate your ability to run keeps running fun! No doubt if I were training for a particular event I would approach it a little differently but otherwise I took advantage of every moment I could with my wife. We got home on Thursday and immediately my mindset changed and back on the road I went. This time it wasn’t in a vehicle, but in my Asics as I headed out for a run. Having not run since the previous Saturday I didn’t know how it would go, but as I made my way through Dover I felt better than I would have thought. Without any particular goal besides “just running”, I for some reason went at a faster pace than I have been going. I still believe I was at a conversational pace but when I finished and looked at my Garmin, I had run at an 8:23 mile pace for the 6 miles. Some days really surprise me! Got an email from a race director in Rochester asking if I would promote a new race that sounds like a great event. The race is the: “Run to Read 5K” and will be on April 6 in Rochester NH. I will be working that weekend, but I would encourage anyone that’s looking to run a spring 5K to check it out. You can go to Coolrunning.com and sign up. This week brings the start of the “Runners Alley 10K training group”. I will be once again helping a group of runners prepare for the Market Square 10K race and this is always a fun training group. It’s not too late if you want to join in, just stop by Runners Alley Portsmouth and sign up. The training will be on Tuesdays and Thursdays at 6:00 and is a great way to meet people and work your way to a 10K! Groups are lots of fun and a great way for new runners to meet the running community. Have a great week and get those feet moving! mike