Mix it Up

After a few months of only running on the trails at a pedestrian pace, I ran out my front door today and hit the road. I only had about 30 minutes this morning so I figured I could get a steady 4 miles in or so.

Our home is situated at about 500 ft. with a beautiful view of the Olympic Mountains. The run down to the main road is about a mile with the first half mile down a steep hill. Once I hit the main road this morning, I headed back up another mile long hill before I turned around for home.So basically, I ran a mile down, then a mile up, then a mile down, then a mile back up. I focussed on a healthy leg turnover rate and a steady pace. I have to admit, it felt good to mix it up today. It was a great reminder of the need to keep things varied in training.

One thing was apparent today on the road. The gait pattern of road running is certainly different than the trails. I usually run trails that have lots of twists and turns. I am used to subtly shifting my weight and changing directions. This engages different muscles in my core, legs, and feet. Road running engages the larger, primary muscles. While I believe a balanced approach to training is good, I am still a big believer that trail running will be healthier for my body and spirit in the long run.

Looking forward to a mountain run tomorrow with my friend Jens. We plan on hitting 20 miles or so in the Olympic Mountains. Back to the trails!

View of Olympic Mountains from our driveway: