Weekend Warrior

As the winter season slowly heads toward the final stretches and spring time activities and runs increase, I can look back to say there hasn't been a terrible weather run throughout fall or winter.  Yet.

The majority of the winter runs have been at worst cold and damp and at best somewhat enjoyable.  There was the pre-tropical storm 10 mile run that easily took the muddiest award.  From what I've been told it seems to be a muddy course even during a dry period.  There was a very cold 16 degree run a day after a light snow event.  I wouldn't call those tough conditions.  The one winter trail run and all the shivers have had about as nice of weather as you possibly could get.  Why do I bring this up now?  There might be something brewing this weekend.

There has been something continuously showing up in the 22nd to 23rd time frame for quite awhile now.  The bigger question is what will it be.  That I don't know right now.  All the sources are picking up something.  The word rain or snow or both comes into play in almost every media outlets forecast for all three days this weekend.  It is something to pay a lot of attention to.  I especially am taking interest as not only is there some type of coastal storm trying to set up but I have a difficult race through the mountains of Reading.  Yes, I said mountains.  There is a national understanding that a mountain is anything over 1,000 feet so get off my back.  This qualifies.  If you still disagree please contact the mountain running cup series group.

The interesting thing about the model run is that when you first take a look at the end of the week you only see a minor disturbance.  Most of the moisture stays to the south and does not make a turn to the north.  As it appears to drift off into the Atlantic, a low forms to the south of New Jersey that refuels a steady stream of moisture back inland.  Temperatures are very hard to pinpoint right now.  I can tell you thought it won't be 50 or 45.  Which leads me to believe we are going to be in for some slop on Sunday.

Now I am still working on this IT band problem keeping me cautious about this run since all I have been doing is 5k's since it occurred.  I did however go out this weekend to get in a little mountain practice time.  I took a lot of breaks and did a lot of stretching as I went.  It was still very painful.  It was a tough haul especially certain downhill sections and the two miles of flat track back to my parking spot.  By the time I had gotten back to where I parked my tracker read 7.2 miles.  Oddly enough that happens to be the exact distance of the upcoming race.  The difference is there isn't any stopping or taking pictures of scenery in a race.  It's also just slightly more difficult.

I still have time to prepare and can make a call Sunday morning.  Now to share my pictures of my Saturday morning journey.  Always interesting to see what a little bit of elevation can do.

The beginning of the trail at water level

  

After a steady climb everything is covered

Flat part of the trail along the ridge

Looking back down close to the top

Good times.  Not a lick of white stuff at the bottom.  The top was a whole different world.