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Monday, December 14, 2015

Winter races

Winter races are my favorites. With our warm climate, any race that isn't in the dead of winter has a chance at being hot and humid. So if I can race in the winter, I much prefer it. I've been looking over our local winter races, and was sad to see that the New Orleans Track Club eliminated The Wall, the 30k race on the levee that I used to enjoy (and won once!). It was a great race-but-also-long-run opportunity for runners doing an early spring marathon. I was a little disappointed. But the track club was running a cyber Monday deal, so I had to pick another race to take advantage of savings.

I am running a half marathon December 19th, the Ole Man River half. I've run it twice before, but the course is in a new location on the West Bank this year. I do not have a time goal for this race. McMillan tells me that I can run a race virtually identical to the last half I ran in September (which means that my fitness is regressing, since that was a super hilly half and the Turkey Day 5 miler I based the prediction on was flat. That's not cool).
And then I haven't signed up for anything else, but I'm thinking that I will train for the Rock N Roll New Orleans marathon! Can you believe? I might return to the marathon? No promises, though. If anything feels the least bit off, I'm ditching that plan. My priority is to stay healthy.

6 comments:

  1. I usually HATE winter running as it's usually bitterly cold here but we have had a beautiful winter so far. I actually ran in a thin long sleeve shirt yesterday as it was 39 degrees which is practically tropical for Dec in MN. I am tempted to sign up for some races but know that the other shoe will inevitably drop soon. So right now my next race isn't until June when I run the Grandma's marathon in Duluth MN.

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  2. Sweet! I'm running it as well. Maybe I'll chase you. :) So far, looks like decent weather for Saturday.

    That predication thingie is stupid. You are in better shape than a 1:37, especially on a flat course w/nice weather. You've been running more mileage and doing some speed work. My goal is to pace better than in Big Easy. I should not see any 7:02 miles unless they are at the end of the race. Certainly not my first mile! DOI!!!!!

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  3. I love winter races in New Orleans. We used to run the Wall and the Jackson Day race when I was there. They are both great races, and like you said, it's so nice to not have the heat and humidity! Here it is generally not too hot mostly year round, so it's nice to be able to plan a race pretty much any time of the year! This year however, I did run one race in May where it was snowing!!

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  4. I'm so envious of your cool weather - as I sit here sweating all over my computer chair after this morning's run. I have a feeling that our climates are pretty similar. Winters were made for running. Summers are made for marking time until it starts to cool again.

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  5. I just got back from Florida and don't know how you people run in the heat and humidity most of the year (it was mid-80s with 90+% humidity). But it is usually great in the winter when I can't stand the cold and ice up here.

    I hope you do feel up to running the RnR marathon and are able to share your training.

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