Dreary days in Ohio, and mental toughness for NPM.

The past several days of training have been slugging it out in the rain and clouds. Of course with temps in the 40 and 50's it has been rather easier to get in 10 and 12 per day. I still get strange looks for running without too many clothes on. But I have really become aclimatized to the high 30's in shorts and gloves. Fair warning....don't stop to walk or dig out your shoes in mud in these temps. The chill starts quickly.

I am not sure at what temperature my MP3 battery will fail but I would like to ask Duracell and/or Energizer to let me take their best battery to the NPM and test the limits of their batteries as I test my own limits for a great race.

Today was just a mix of mile repeats in the misting rain. I wound up on the trails at Antrim park slicing off segments in the water logged mud to prepare myself for ice. I am anticipating slippery conditions. I have tied 1.5 pound ankle weight to my legs to simulate snow shoes and extra clothes. While the physiology says this may not be good for my hip, ankle, and knee joints...it can only may me stronger for snow running.
The only problem is that on part of the run today I lost one of the ankle weights in the mud as I sank up to my mid shin and had to dig a shoe out of about 12 inches of thick muck along the river. Trust me...I would finish a race without a shoe, as I have done it before, but this was just a training run and I have a few more days before the race.

Tomorrow should be 40 or so on the bike. Temps expected to be in the hight 20's at 5 am. All we need now is more snow and for more puddles to freeze solid.

MJ---I am just slip sliding away.