The Ashland Run

Saturday's long run was 17 miles. It just occurred to me that that is the furthest I have run since the 2008 NYC Marathon. Congratulations, Me!

The run was has become a standard on our Run

for the Memory team training schedule. Tradition usually has it that this run falls on the coldest weekend of the winter. Seriously, it has been single digit temps every year I can remember this training run happening. Yet, despite seeing several residents along the route shoveling out their mailboxes, the temperature was relatively mild (for January in central Massachusetts).

We started at Ashland Middle School, just shy of 3 miles into the marathon course. We then ran to the starting line, essentially 3 miles uphill. And then back down. Repeat. And repeat again...maybe not all the way to the t

op the last time.

The loop is close to torturous, but also beneficial. It forces me to respect exactly how large the downhill start of the race is when I have to run UP the same hill. Also, the downhill part takes a toll on the quads. So trips 2 and possibly 3 get a bit tougher with tired legs, again serving as a reminder of why not to fly down the hills at the start of the race on marathon day.

So my first 17 miler in the books! Ni

ne more miles seemed pretty far though by the end of the run. I guess it's a good thing I still have 77 days to go!

Oh, and I'm still keeping up with the post-run ice baths. It was pretty tough to steady the camera while my whole body was shivering.