birthday run

i decided to run my age in miles to celebrate my 36th birthday.  it seemed like a daunting task but i guess i've run greater distances before.  not recently, but i had.  did i really want to do this on my birthday?  isn't there easier ways to celebrate? 

Brother John met me for the first leg.  he ran the first 10 miles w/ me.  it's always good to see him and catch up w/ him.  those first 10 miles went by like water.  it was nothing.  the trail conditions were tough and ridiculous in some spots.  Roxy was also w/ us.  but Brother John is my favorite person to run w/ so it seemed like nothing. 

we finished our 10 miler at my house.  had a cup of tea to warm up and then before long Brother John was gone and it was time for me to run another ten mile leg.  i took the iPod this time and looked forward to jammin out to some tunes.  i don't usually take the tunes w/ me while in the woods but hey man...this is a celebration.  if anyone would have seen me, they would have seen a guy running through the woods on snow that he SHOULD have had snowshoes for and singing or rapping to whatever music is blasting through his headphones as his dog leads the way. 

so after 20 miles exactly, i was back at the house and had a Clif bar, a banana, a green tea and a water and made the drive to Madison.  i was to meet up w/ Kerstina who i had never run w/.  15 miles was the furthest she had ever gone so she wanted to run 16 today to PR and celebrate w/ me.  which is great.  talking w/ her also made the miles go by like they were nothing.  we ran all the way around Lake Monona which is about a 13 mile trip.  i haven't been around Lake Monona in years and never on foot.  it made for a beautiful run.  Kerstina kept up like a champ and i have a feeling she has a few marathons in her yet.  we made it back to the truck for a quick food and water break and then we squeaked out another three miles to make our 16 miles.  her watch said we were at like 18 miles for the day, mine said 15.5.  so i'm calling it 16.  it made for a great day.  big ups to Brother John and Kerstina for joining me and making the day worth while.  my favorite day this year so far!

stats:
1st leg: 10.36 miles
2:15:48
125 bpm
1109 cal burned

2nd leg: 9.60 miles
1:44:52
150 bpm
1170 cal burned

3rd leg: 15.55
2:44:52
143 bpm
2007 cal burned

oh yeah...and afterward all of that, i ate a boatload of sushi.  yes...a boatload.