Thursday & Saturday Crazy 8's

Okay - so it's dark and cold out after work and if you're like me, when you drive home from work you're thinking how nice it would be just to settle in on the couch with movie, maybe some pizza or take out thai food. But then you think of how far you've come in your training - whether you are a veteran and rookie runner, you are improving, getting stronger, enjoying your time on the road. As hard as it may be to talk yourself back out the door in your running clothes, you know when you are finished you will feel great - the stress of the day will melt away!

Running in the dark and cold weather isn't easy - but in order to stay in shape and train for a race such as Frostbite, you have to make yourself do it. Instead of finding a good reason NOT to run, find a good reason TO run. My reason to run on Thursday is going out for Mexican food and margaritas afterwards (can't eat healthy ALL the time). So - you're invited to join us on a short 4.5 + mile run in Washington Park and then head over to Xochi's West for the kind of evening I like to call Miles and Margaritas.

THURSDAY 11/20: Figure 8's

Since it's dark, we are better off staying in the park. Those two loops can get a little boring, so we're going to do two figure eights in the park. Here's a map for the first loop.

• Turn right leaving the playground shelter and run down the hill towards the lower pond to circle the park clockwise.
• When you get to the big long hill in the middle, turn right and go all the way up the hill. Turn left and run counter-clockwise around the park towards MacArthur and back to the middle hill. Turn left and run up the middle hill again and turn right to return to the playground shelter.
• Turn around and repeat the figure eight in the opposite direction (now you'll get to run DOWN that middle hill twice).

See you at 5:40 p.m. Bring your own blinky lights - wear reflective layers, and of course, enjoy the run.

SATURDAY - 11/22 Long 8

I am running the Jingle Bell 5K (www.srrc.net) however, the schedule calls for 8 miles. Saturday's route is Panera to FitClub - I just need a volunteer to yell go (I'll leave water outside of FitClub for you). Be sure to look at the map - you'll be coming back to Panera the long way....

I will be running this route on Sunday at 7am and if anyone interested in joining me - please post here and I'll follow up with you.

"It's the road signs: Beware of Lions." --Kip Lagat, Kenyan Distance Runner, Explaining Why His Country Produces So Many Great Runners