It has begun… training for my first ultramarathon attempt, the Spring Superior 50k in Lutsen, MN in May 2014!

After a full month completely off from running, I am restarting with a few months of basic base-building miles. The goal is to get through the winter happy, healthy, and with a really nice aerobic base.

I recently got this awesome B-day present from my beautiful bride:

These are Kahtoola MICROspikes. They are noticeably heavy on the feet, but not so much that it makes running unenjoyable. They are a breeze to get on and off, yet are remarkably sturdy once on your shoes. I have noticed zero slippage in the shoe / spike connection, and the traction on the snowy trails has been perfect. Have not tried on ice as of yet.

To go along with my training, I am hoping to do a brief weekly summary here with mileage / time / elevation. I am following the same basic format as one of my biggest running inspirations, Anton Krupicka.

12/2/2013
Monday: 3mi on “Camp Ryan Trail” (CRT)
There is literally a trail into the woods starting from our backyard. Sweet! I can get a 1.5mi loop out of it with ~125′ of elevation gain in both the up and down directions. The trail is mostly a 4 wheeler type trail, with some single track, and pretty unkept at times. There are a few short sections that require a little bush-whacking.

12/3/2013
Tuesday: 4.5mi on the CRT.

12/4/2013
Wednesday: 3mi on the CRT.

12/6/2013
Friday: 3mi on the CRT.
-8F on this one – oof! 4-8″ of snow on the trail.

12/7/2013
Saturday: 7.5mi on the CRT.
-1F on this run. Legs definitely feeling fatigued, mostly in the hips and quads. I’m guessing its a combination of carrying the extra weight in the kahtoolas / warm layers and trudging through the snow.

Totals:
21 miles
3:21:31
Vert: 1,750′

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