The Week's End

Another snowstorm yesterday. This has been quite a snowy winter! Portland hit 100 inches; Caribou, farther north, has its snowiest winter since they started keeping records. I think we're all thinking it could end. Even Snowman. I really didn't want to run in the snow. So, I didn't, which meant I went this morning to finish up my miles for the week, which totaled 22. Now I know that 22 miles a week isn't that much in the running scheme of things. But...in looking back over my running logs, a 22 mile week was my biggest running week last year (amidst a lot of hiking miles and xc skiing days). It's funny. I did run a fair amount last year, but I did a lot of short runs. I ramped up my mileage a bit before the Black Fly race in June, and then again in October for the Bradbury Bruiser, but other than that, it was a lot of 3 and 4 mile runs sandwiched in between skiing or hiking. It wasn't a bad year, but 22 miles as my longest week seems sort of weak. Oh well. In 2006, the year I was training for the Maine Marathon, I didn't hit 22 miles until May. Of course, after that, I did a fair amount of higher mileage weeks, but we only hiked something like 60 miles that year, so I had a lot of time for running. True, each year is different, for a variety of reasons, but it is always fun to go back and see how things compare.

Anyway, after all is said and done, hitting a 22 mile week in late March seems pretty good to me. I am feeling good, and I like having a few solid races scheduled for the season, as that gives me good focus and a goal to reach for. I also am really enjoying having Snowman around for a running partner! And I hope that this good running winter means we're on our way to a good running and hiking spring and summer :-)