Week 01/10-15

84.36 miles this week

Pretty good week of running. My consistency was much better than previous weeks and nothing hurt too bad.  So, I've been getting harassed because my blog is a little boring (Kerry & Laura) and unless you're really interested in my training regimen and daily miles, then I guess I would have to agree. So how do I "spice" this thing up?

I'll try and tackle a different subject or topic each week along with my weekly mileage recaps. What those topics will be?... yet to be determined. Maybe I'll use this a little like those of you on Facebook: I'm sitting at starbucks sipping on a mocha (no, really I am). But then again, I'm the person who has zero interest in having a Facebook and typically make fun of those who do. Especially those who post updates every 10 or 15 minutes on how you're feeling or what you're watching on the Oxygen or Hunting channel.  I'll be more than happy to discuss running and training with those of you who are interested, but seeing how my followers are pretty slim right now, I'll keep it light unless you ask.

So why do I consider this "Running in Hell"?  Besides the 115 degree temperatures that invade Phoenix, the desert's rocky, scratch that, very rocky footing is problematic at best. The ground is dry (obviously...) and every known kind of cactus just happens to be waiting on the side of the trail. There's nothing like bleeding all over your shoes while running the 25 miles back to your car.  I wear neon green training shoes, blood doesn't look good on them.

I would imagine that hell would be hot, rocky, and dry. Throw in some cacti and you've got my own version of that infamous flaming place. Oh, and in Phoenix every day is the same.  Not that I don't love being able to forecast the weather 95% percent of the year (sunny & hot pretty much does it). It definitely gets boring! There is very little originality in the weather or terrain. I mean, I can go for a 30 mile run and the only thing that changes is the height of the cacti and temperature increasing to levels where one could fire pottery without using a kiln.

Clearly, I'm not the biggest fan of Arizona. Luckily, it's not all bad....contrary to what I may say.  Even though the training here isn't the greatest, in some ways I feel that I'm gaining an edge on the competition. I'm still not 100% sure what that edge is going to be, but once I figure it out, I'm sure I'll be all right.

Till next week: run hard, run far, and don't fall 'cause it'll hurt.