My Training Route in Pictures

I've done well with training this week, getting in all my miles now that I am over this cold. Sunday was a rest day, but I took a short hike. Monday I did cross-training: weights and Eliptical. Tuesday was 5 miles after work; Wednesday, up at 4:30 AM to do 6 miles; today, up at 4:45 to do 4 miles. It has been somewhat cold, and I overdressed yesterday, getting so hot after 2 miles that I walked the last 4 miles to try to cool down. It was hard, because I have not been walking that fast more than about 6-8 minutes at a time in weeks due to running more. So I think that once a week, I will only walk during training to try to get that walking speed, power, and endurance back.

Tuesday's training was after work, and there was just enough daylight to take photos of a favorite local training route. It is an out and back combined with a loop. If I do the loop once, it is 3.85 miles; do the loop twice and it becomes 5.2 miles. The route leaves my neighborhood, and goes through another neighborhood. After a total of 1.25 miles, the loop begins - through a wooded area, past a ballfield, along a trail through a park, out behind a school by a ball field, tennis courts, and a track, then back along the school to the start of the loop. Do a lap around the track and one loop, and it becomes a 4 miler. So this is a favorite course for my 4 and 5 miles training - day or night. Tuesday was a 5 milers, so I did the loop part twice. If it is dark, I aways walk on the trail part. If there is no moon, the only way to see the foot path is because there are no trees in it, so you can't really see where you are putting your feet. So in really dark conditions, not only do I have to walk the trail part, but I have to slow down a bit. For example, today was so dark during my four miles that I could not see a thing other than the outline of trees along the path, plus the roads and trails were wet from yesterday's snow and rain. So I went really slow at times - beats tripping over something in the dark or turning an ankle.

I like running and walking this because it is more interesting than just doing the same miles along neighborhood streets, and because later in the spring I can even see wildlife and other little aspects of nature for part of it.

Here is that route in pictures:

Start out in my neighborhood for about a half mile

3/4 mile through the next neighborhood, The Oaks (see any oak trees?)

The 1.35 mile loop starts by going through a wooded area on the edge of the neighborhood.

After passing a ballfield, the route goes along a path in the woods.

It climbs a bit, and passes by a little stream. Even when I traverse this in pitch darkness, I can hear the stream gurgling.

A local kid identified and labeled many of the trees along the trail as part of his Eagle Scout project.

After about 0.4 miles on this trail, I come out behind the middle school.

The path goes past a baseball fields and tennis courts...

... coming out by a track in back of the school. Do this loop once and a lap around the track, and the whole thing from my front door and back is just over 4 miles.

After passing the track and some outdoor basketball courts, I return down this path to either start the loop over again or head back towards home through the neighborhoods.